


Falling

by Writingkeepsmesane



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, No Porn, No Sex, No Smut, Plot, Pre-Thor (2011), Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 01:02:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 53,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1246858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingkeepsmesane/pseuds/Writingkeepsmesane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When your father died, all responsibility fell onto your shoulders. You struggled to keep your family fed, but you survived, and it made you stronger; and someone noticed. You were given the opportunity of a lifetime by the king. Things were supposed to be black and white. No complications, no emotion, just your task. But add some mischief to the mix, and things never go according to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction. I keep things clean and classy, so this should be okay for all audiences, but I still don't want to rate it just in case. There will be some violence, not sure how bad it will get, shouldn't be too bad so I didn't put a warning for that either.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I'm not a big fan of the Thor movies, I just liked Loki's character, so please don't hate me if I mess up some details. I mean no harm!
> 
> I've got an idea of what I want to happen here, but I'm kinda just making this up as I go.
> 
> Also, sorry for the cliché title, couldn't think of anything else.

As you approached the edge of the forest, you closed your eyes and let the stillness of the morning surround you. Trees towered over you, reaching up to touch the pale sky. A faint, gray mist hung in the air, and fat dew drops clung to the untamed blades of long, yellowing grass at your feet. You shivered in your hunting outfit. Despite the cold chill you always made the journey out to the forest early so not to be seen. The people in your village either despised you, or looked up to you. The ones who would turn their nose up when you crossed paths were the traditionalists. Though you always wore a dress in the village, pants, boots, and a shirt were necessary for flexibility and speed while hunting. You also tied your long, brown hair up with a black band to keep it out of your face. On top of your shunned choices in clothing you were the main provider for your family. People saw you as some sort of rebel to the unwritten rules by which they lived.

The others, the ones who respected you, saw the same details but admired you for them. Your family was very poor, but you kept them fed, and did whatever it took to do so. How could you not? You loved your family unconditionally. Before your father had died, he’d taught you everything to make you the most intelligent girl in the village, finishing your education at the age of ten. You taught what you knew to your siblings. You hunted for their food, and did everything you could to keep your small shack in good condition.

You sighed when you opened your eyes. Orange and gold leaves daintily flew through the air on a cold breeze. Fall was beginning, and cold weather meant increasing hunger and a diminishing food supply. You would make it through, you always did, though you couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt as you watched your family go to bed hungry. You double checked the knives strapped to your body, and pulled an arrow out of your quiver, loading the bow you had made yourself. You cautiously stepped into the forest, not making a sound.

 

You had shot several birds, and a squirrel. You collected them all in a burlap sack you had sewn a strap onto. You checked the traps you had set by a small river. A squirrel had gotten snared in one, and the other held a white rabbit. You smiled to yourself. Your little sister, Janna, loved rabbit meat. You could already picture her grinning as you began to undo the trap. Over the soft trickle of water flowing in the river you suddenly heard a rustle in the fallen leaves. You froze, and lifted your head towards the sound.

An adult buck stood several yards away, its head bent to the ground as it ate the remaining grass on the forest floor. You carefully let go of the trap, and reached for your bow. As you stood, you silently drew an arrow, nocked it on the bow string, and took aim. Just as you were about to let go, a sound like thunder filled the air. Something huge was approaching you from behind. The deer ran off. You cursed and whirled, bow still drawn to face whatever threat was behind you. What you saw made you gasp.

Five men sitting on large horses came to a stop, the fiery leaves swirling at the creatures’ hooves. Two of the men you recognized by their outfits to be royal guards. The older man in the center was the king, and on either side of him were his two sons. They each had a bow and set of arrows, and one of the guards held a game bag. You quickly placed your bow on the ground to show you meant no harm and bowed. You cursed at yourself in your head. "Idiot!" you thought. "You just took aim at the king! Accident or not, he could have you killed for this."

“Please rise, madam,” the king’s voice boomed.

You had to force yourself to stand up straight. You were practically paralyzed with fear. Every fiber of your being was screaming for you to run, but out of terror and respect you made yourself stay put. Whatever self-control you had left over from that effort was put towards keeping your body from shaking. You dared not look the royals in the face. It was considered disrespectful unless told otherwise by their majesties. You, however, could practically feel all five sets of eyes roaming over you. “What is your name?” Odin asked with an edge of curiosity to his voice.

“R-Rena, Your Majesty,” you forced your shaky voice to be audible.

“What are you doing out here, Rena?”

“Hunting, Your Majesty, for food for my family.”

A thoughtful look crossed the king’s face. You glimpsed the princes out of the corner of your eye. The blond, muscular one you assumed to be Thor, meaning the man to Odin’s left must have been Loki. You’d seen a painting of the royal family once when you were young. The princes in the painting had been younger as well. Both seemed to be not much older than yourself. You quickly turned your eyes away before anyone caught you staring. “How long have you been a huntress?” Odin asked with his voice becoming gentler.

“I started hunting nine years ago, Your Majesty,” you said, barely keeping your voice from quivering.

Nine years ago you had been eleven, you’d just learned that you father had died, and you knew that you must provide for your family if they were to survive. The king got down from his horse and approached you. He was much taller up close. “I assume you are a fair shot then?” Odin asked as he loomed over you.

You gave a small shrug, “I suppose it’s enough to put food on the table, Your Majesty.”

The king laughed. You looked up in shock. Odin placed a hand on your shoulder. “We are in need of a new royal hunter,” Odin looked you over. “Or huntress. You seem to have good character, and if you’ve been hunting for nine years I can imagine your skills surpass average. Would you be willing to take this position and come live in the palace?”

Behind the king you could see the other four members of the hunting party had an expression of shock that mirrored yours. “I-I, uh, it would be an honor, Your Majesty,” you took a small step back, “but I cannot leave my family.”

“Then they shall come with you!” the king exclaimed joyfully.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, your offer is most generous, but I cannot make a decision on behalf of my family without knowing their wishes.”

Odin nodded, smiling, “I see I was correct about your character. Anyone who is so loyal and caring for their loved ones is golden hearted in my eyes,” the king chuckled. “Perhaps you could teach my sons a thing or two.”

The princes’ expressions changed to show confusion with a hint of embarrassment behind the king. You bit your lip to suppress a grin. Odin arched an eyebrow and looked at you thoughtfully, “If your family wished to reside in the palace, would you accept my offer and become the royal huntress?”

You nodded eagerly, “Yes, Your Majesty, of course.”

"We will never go hungry again," you thought.

The king smiled, “Then it is settled. Go home to your family and make your decision,” Odin turned to face his hunting party. “Loki, your brother and I have business to attend to back at the palace. You will take Rena back to her village, then return to me with her family’s answer.”

Loki nodded, “Yes, Father.”

The guard next to the prince took his bow and quiver to return them to the palace. The king turned to face you again. He patted your shoulder, “I hope to see you again, Rena.”

Odin strolled back to his horse and mounted it. He cast you one last smile before riding away.


	2. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're treated like royalty at the palace. So why do you feel like you're walking on a tightrope?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally two chapters, but I thought they were too short and combined them. Let me know if longer chapters are better.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos! It means so much knowing that people actually like this!

Loki nudged his large, black horse with his boot and approached you. “Do you have a horse of your own somewhere?” he asked, breaking the silence as he scanned the forest.

You shook your head, “No, Your Highness.”

Loki nodded and held out a gloved hand to you. You quickly slid your bow over your head and shoulder and took up your hunting bag. You cautiously reached out and took his hand. Loki easily pulled you up onto the horse behind him. “Hold on,” he cautioned and clicked his tongue to the horse.

You quickly placed your hands on Loki’s shoulders as the large black beast took off at a gallop. The forest whizzed past you. You’d never really noticed how far you went to hunt, but when it took several minutes to leave the woods on horseback you realized you must have gone very far. The horse bolted out of the forest like a streak of lightening and into the field of dry grass that surrounded your village, which sat a mile away, bathed in sunlight on the horizon.

Loki steered the horse to the entrance of the small town, then slowed to a walk as he rode through the dusty streets. You took the opportunity to remove your hands from his shoulders. It was late in the morning by that time. The villagers were beginning to emerge from their homes. They stared in amazement as you rode by with the prince. Everyone, even the people who detested you, bowed down at the sight. “That is my house, Your Highness,” you piped up as Loki rode down the street towards your small shack.

Loki nodded in response and stopped in front of your home. He dismounted the horse. You were about to do the same when you noticed he was holding out a hand to assist you. You took his hand and jumped to the ground. “Would you like to leave your horse in the yard, Your Highness?” you asked and gestured to the fenced in area behind your house.

Loki shook his head, “That won’t be necessary. He won’t run off.”

You nodded and walked up to the front door of your house, which you held open for the prince. A small smile found its way onto Loki’s lips. “After you, milady,” he said, taking the door and holding it open for you.

You blushed. No one had ever called you milady before. You thanked him quietly and entered the house with Loki close behind you. “Mother?” you called as the prince quietly shut the door behind you.

Your younger sister, eleven year old Janna, and brother, nine year old Sam, rushed from the kitchen to greet you with smiles and hugged your waist, hardly taking notice to the man behind you. You smiled and kissed each of them on the head. You heard a sharp squeal and looked up to see Claire and Elise, the two year old twin girls, toddle out towards you. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Loki’s expression change to surprise when he saw the size of your family. You saw your mother and grandmother follow the twins out of the kitchen. “Rena,” your mother said as she came into view, “you’re home early…” her voice trailed off when her eyes came to rest on Loki. “Your Highness!” she exclaimed and curtsied.

“Janna, Sam!” your grandmother hissed as she curtsied. “Manors!”

Janna curtsied and Sam bowed. Even the twins went silent. Loki smiled, displaying a perfect set of gleaming white teeth, “Please, there’s no need for that.”

Everyone stood. “Is there anything I can offer you, Y-Your Highness?” your mother asked as she nervously wrung her hands. “Tea, or something to eat?”

Loki smiled again, “Thank you, madam, but I will only be here for a short time.”

Janna tugged at your shirt. “Marcus is up,” she whispered shyly and averted her eyes from Loki.

You patted her head and walked past her, handing the sack with your kills to your mother, who gave you a curious look. You walked down the short hallway with Loki following you. The room at the end had used to be your parents’. It had gone to Marcus, your only older sibling, after your father died and he had fallen gravely ill. Your mother now had his old bed in the room with the rest of the children and your grandmother.

Before opening the door you turned to Loki. “Your Highness,” you said, “my brother is very ill. No other member of my family has shown any symptoms of the sickness, but we aren’t sure how it might affect others.”

Loki waved a hand. “I will be fine. Besides, I wish to meet your entire family.”

You nodded, “Yes, Your Highness.”

You twisted the doorknob, letting the door creak open. Marcus was lying on the bed, tangled up in a quilt. His breathing was labored, and his once brown eyes were foggy. He was skinny and hot to the touch though he shivered. He had been sick since birth, but had been bedridden for the last year after his condition worsened. You quietly approached the bed and knelt next to it as his chest rose and fell slowly. “Marcus?” you whispered.

Marcus’s thin lips turned up in a smile. “How’s my little sister?” he said in a hoarse voice as he turned to face you.

You gave a small laugh, “One day you will have to accept that I’m not so little anymore.”

“I know that, but you will always be my little sister.”

You heard light footfalls and sensed that Loki had come to stand behind you. You gave a sad smile, “How are you feeling?”

Marcus swallowed, “Well, from what I see you’re covered in spots, and one of the princes is standing right behind you.”

“Um, that second part is true.”

“What?” Marcus exclaimed and tried to sit up, holding his hand over his heart. “Your Highness, I-I apologize, I…”

Loki stopped him, “There is no need to apologize. Do not strain yourself, please.”

Marcus was breathing heavily from the exertion of energy. “Marcus,” you breathed, “the king has asked me to be the royal huntress. If Mother agrees we will go live in the palace. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?”

“Yes,” Marcus said faintly, “wonderful.”

With that he passed out on the bed. You sighed as you brushed his dark brown hair out of his eyes. You adjusted the quilt covering him and stood to face Loki, still not making eye contact. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, he gets exhausted rather easily,” you explained.

Loki nodded, looking at Marcus with concern written on his face. The two of you quietly left the room. The rest of your family was sitting at the kitchen table. You and Loki both took a seat. “If I might ask, Your Highness,” your mother said quietly, “what brings you to our home?”

“My father, my brother, and I were out hunting early this morning,” Loki explained. “While we were riding we found several traps, and then noticed your daughter. She is a very skilled at hunting, and my father was hoping she might come to live in the palace and take the position of the royal huntress.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide with shock. Your mother slumped back in her chair. “Should she accept you will all be welcome to come and live in the palace,” Loki said hopefully.

“Rena,” your mother looked to you.

“I’ll accept the offer if it is what you wish, Mother,” you responded.

“Your Highness,” your grandmother said in a wary voice, “what exactly is the duty of a royal huntress?”

Loki concentrated, arching his eyebrows as he thought. “A royal hunter or huntress would lead hunting parties, teach hunting skills to members of the royal family or their guests, and would provide food if there was ever a shortage or if we were to travel.”

Your mother shook her head, “I…I’m just not sure.”

“We have the finest medicines at the palace for your son, and all of your children would be well educated,” Loki coaxed.

Your mother sighed, “Rena, ever since your father passed we’ve asked so much of you. You’ve supported us since you were Janna’s age. Whatever decision you make, it’s our turn to support you.”

A knot formed in your throat. Your mother had always told you how grateful she and the rest of your family were, but you’d never known it was to such a degree. You looked at all the expectant faces, staring at you with wide eyes. You exhaled, “I will accept the king’s offer.”

“Excellent,” Loki smiled as he stood, “I will have a carriage sent…” his silk like voice trailed off as his eyes swept over your family again. “Or perhaps two carriages. Once you’ve all packed your things they will bring you to the palace.”

Loki bid you all a good day and left. You all sat in silence, listening to the sound of a large horse thunder away from your house. Janna and Sam cast each other a look, then jumped into the air, cheering with glee. Claire and Elise started squealing with delight as well. Your grandmother began laughing and covered her face with her hands as tears rolled down her cheeks. Your mother’s eyes sparkled as she smiled at you. A grin spread over your face. “Well, what are we waiting for?” you exclaimed. “Pack your things!”

The children rushed to their bedroom where the extra game bags you had made sat in the corner. You grabbed the one you’d had earlier that day. Your mother had emptied it. As you looked over the animals you had caught that were lying on the counter you smiled thinking that your family would be eating its next meal in a palace. Not wanting the food to go to waste you took the animals and rushed to your neighbors’ house. At first they would not accept the food, but you explained that your family would not be needing it and otherwise the food would just spoil.

They finally accepted the offer, and you rushed back to your house to pack. There wasn’t much to put in your bag, just a simple dress and some undergarments. You packed Marcus’s things in your bag as well, then slung it over your shoulder to help the rest of your family pack.

It didn’t take long to load everything into the bags. Your family didn’t have very much. All that was left behind was the furniture. Janna and Sam were too excited to wait inside and instead sat out in front of the house for two hours awaiting the carriages. They burst inside as the elaborate coaches drove up to the house. “They’re here!” cried Sam.

Janna grabbed her bag as Sam took his and your grandmother’s. Your grandmother took Elise up in her arms and followed them out to the carriages. You shouldered your bag and took Claire in one arm while helping your mother lift Marcus out of bed with the other. You carefully picked your way through the house, guiding him to the front door. When the drivers saw you struggling with your brother they immediately rushed to you, placing his arms over their shoulders. “Please, don’t trouble yourselves,” your mother protested at first.

One driver shook his head, “No trouble at all, madam, the king has informed us that you are his guests and are to be treated as such.”

Your grandmother, Janna, Sam, and Elise were loaded into the first carriage along with their bags. You sat next to your mother and held Claire on your lap in the other carriage. Marcus was carefully laid down on the cushioned bench across from you. You glanced out the carriage window as the driver’s whip cracked and the horses pulled you along the dirt road. You took one last look at the house that you and your siblings were born in. You watched as the villagers stared curiously at the fine carriages. You sat back and sighed as you gently rocked Claire in your arms.

An hour later the carriages passed through a large town. Outside people milled about, coming in and out of buildings carrying new objects each time. You looked out the window to observe the new town, but what your eyes settled on was far grander. The castle rose high above the town, looking over it from its perch on top of a large mountain. The structure gleamed in the sunlight. It completely took your breath away.

At last the carriages pulled through the gates and up to the large front doors of the palace. You slung your bag over your shoulder and scooped up Claire as the driver opened the door. Two servants awaited you outside. Once you and your mother were out the servants helped Marcus out onto the stone rode. “We will take him to the infirmary, madam,” one informed your mother, and with that they swept Marcus into the palace.

You looked up at the large structure. The palace made you feel small and insignificant. Your heart pounded at the thought of living in such a place. This whole day felt like some kind of dream. You approached the rest of your family. “I want you two on your best behavior,” your mother knelt down to Janna and Sam’s height to warn them, “understand?”

They both nodded and stopped their excited jumping. Several servants emerged from the palace to take your small amounts of luggage. They led you inside, where the palace was even more magnificent. There were marble floors, and luxurious rugs. Tapestries hung from the walls and the place was adorned with lavish decorations you’d only ever imagined. The servants guided your family up several flights of stairs and down a few corridors. You were amazed no one got lost in such a huge space. You figured you would have to study maps of every hall and room so not to get lost when the king called upon you to complete a task.

At the end of a corridor were three dark, wooden doors. The servant who had led you through the palace turned to face your family. “The door on the left is the children’s room, and across from it we have a room for you two ladies,” she said and smiled at your mother and grandmother. “The last room will be for your eldest son when he recovers. Until then you may visit him in the infirmary.”

You were about to enter the children’s room when the servant stopped you. “The royal huntress’s room is upstairs,” she said and took your bag from another servant. “Please follow me, milady.”

You bit your lip and handed Claire to your mother, who smiled encouragingly at you. All of your family was smiling proudly at you. You swallowed the lump in your throat and forced the ends of your lips to turn upward. You followed the servant up one more flight of stairs. She led you down another elegant corridor and to a door identical to the ones of your family’s rooms. The servant opened the door and beckoned you inside. You walked in and gasped when you saw where you would be living. A fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows over the two cushioned chairs and low table that were set on a posh rug in front of it. A framed painting of a ship on the sea hung above the fireplace. A four-post canopy bed with a white, puffy comforter stood across from it towards the back of the room. A door stood open on either side of the bed. One revealed an extravagant bathroom, and the other opened to a large dressing room. On one wall were two large windows with sheer curtains and between them a glass door leading to a balcony overlooking the garden. On the opposite side of the room were a large bookcase, and a pianoforte up against the cream colored walls.

You stood in awe, gaping at the room. The ceiling, where a crystal chandelier hung, was taller than your house, which would easily fit in the room. The servant left your luggage at the foot of the bed on the marble floor. You tore your gaze away from the furnishing of the room to look at her. She looked just a bit younger than your mother. Her dark blonde hair was pulled into a braid and her soft brown eyes shown with kindness. “I’ll be up with your lunch right away, milady,” she said and smiled at you.

You returned the smile. “Thank you,” you turned as the servant was about to exit the room. “I apologize, but I don’t believe I learned your name.”

The servant froze and turned to face you, “My name is Faith, milady.”

You and Faith exchanged kind smiles again before she shut the door behind her. You took your bag to the dressing room and put away the few articles of clothing you had brought. You assumed that as the royal huntress you would be supplied with better weaponry, but you still couldn’t help but find homes for your bow, quiver, and knives in the room.

Some time had passed as you neatly put away your belongings. The only possessions that remained in your pack belonged to Marcus. You decided to bring them down to his room, but when you opened the door to leave you found Faith and two other women standing outside. Faith was holding a large tray of food. The sweet scents hit your nose, making your mouth water. You’d eaten a slice of bread and butter before going out to hunt that morning, but nothing since. You set down the bag and took the tray from Faith. “Is there something you needed, milady?” she asked.

You shook your head, “I was just about to bring my brother’s things to his room.”

“Allow me, milady,” Faith said and picked up the bag. “The king has requested for you and your family to join him for dinner. The royal seamstresses will help you prepare.”

You arched an eyebrow, “It’s hardly noon. How long does it take to prepare for dinner?”

Faith chuckled, “When you need an entirely new wardrobe it takes quite some time, milady.”

Faith walked off as the seamstresses entered your room. They took the measurements of your slim figure then exited as quickly as they had come. You picked a book from the shelves and lazily sprawled across one of the chairs in front of the fire. You held the book in your lap, reading as you sampled the new foods on the tray Faith had given you.

When the food was gone and you were several chapters into the new book there was a knock at the door. The same seamstresses awaited outside, one carrying a large, tan box. In the bathroom they taught you how to draw a bath (you’d never been exposed to such utilities). When you expected them to leave the servants informed you that they had been told to help you get cleaned up. You were hesitant to undress at first, but figured that the servants could be punished if you refused. You were thankful that at least they were both female as you slid into the steaming water. One poured in a bath oil with a scent you did not recognize. She informed you that it was jasmine. The other servant explained how to apply different cosmetics and use tools which were foreign to you.

When the forest grime had been scrubbed off of you, you had been groomed, and you smelled fresh and sweet the servants provided you with a robe and led you to the dressing room. Inside the seamstress removed the lid from the box they had brought with them, and revealed a pale blue dress with silver trim. “The color will match your eyes, milady,” one of the seamstresses beamed.

You quickly put on some undergarments the seamstresses had provided for you, pulled the dress over your head, and slid your feet into a pair of matching slippers. The seamstresses urged you to turn and look into the mirror. When you saw your reflection your eyes went wide. The thick straps held the dress up at the top of your arms, leaving your shoulders bare. The neckline was modest, not letting anything past your defined collarbones and a sparkling diamond necklace that the seamstresses had clipped around your neck show. The torso of the dress fitted snugly to your thin figure, and the skirt flared out. Your pale complexion practically glowed with radiance, and whatever concoction the servants had used on your hair made it glossy and smooth as it fell perfectly in place over your shoulders and back. The pale blue of your dress made your eyes look like dark, sparkling pools of blue.

You smiled, flashing two perfect rows of teeth white as pearls. You felt like one of the princesses you’d heard of in stories as you twirled in front of the mirror, the skirt flowing around your feet. The seamstresses clasped their hands together with glee and amazement as an afternoon of hard work came together. One looked out the window of your room and gasped when she saw the sun setting.

They ushered you out of the room, leading you down a maze of several halls and flights of stairs. You approached a large set of double doors with golden doorknobs. “This is the dining hall, milady,” one of the seamstresses explained then they both curtsied to you.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done,” you smiled at them both. “This dress is amazing; I’ve never looked so nice in all my life.”

The other seamstress grinned, “It is the lady that makes the clothing beautiful, madam.”

With that they walked down the opposite corridor. You turned, taking a deep, nervous breath as you faced the doors, and opened them.


	3. An Assignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The king tells you a startling secret, and one of the princes befriends you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! If you're reading this on a Friday, that is. Hope you guys like this chapter. Sorry things are going kind of slow for the beginning.

The door opened quietly and smoothly. You stepped inside the large room as it shut behind you. It appeared that your family had arrived moments before you as they sat down to eat. The king sat at the head of the long table with the queen, Frigga, at his right. Across from her on Odin's left was Thor, and next to him was Loki. They had already struck up a conversation with your family. Loki turned his head in your direction slightly at the sound of the door opening. He then turned his attention back to his plate, but quickly did a double take and stared back at you as you approached the table. Thor turned to his brother, mouth open to tell him something, but froze and watched you as well. You pretended not to notice. "Rena," the king addressed you with a smile, "I'm pleased to see you accepted the offer."

A servant pulled out a chair for you next to the queen. You thanked him and took your seat. You quickly glanced at the rest of your family. They were also dressed in fine clothing. "How are you all adjusting to the palace?" the queen asked, smiling kindly.

"Wonderfully, everything is so beautiful," your mother answered. "We are all very gracious of your allowing us to stay here, Your Majesties."

The queen laughed softly, "Please, call me Frigga."

"Please address me by my first name as well," added the king with a smile, "you are our guests after all."

Servants brought out soup as the first course, then plates piled with vegetables and meats, and lastly slices of cake for dessert. All throughout the meal Odin and Thor told stories of battles they'd fought in. You watched your siblings' eyes grow wide with amazement at every tale.

When the meal had ended Odin asked to speak with you. You followed him out of the dining hall as everyone went their separate ways. The king led you out of the back of the palace and into the garden. Flowers bloomed vibrantly, the water from the fountains glowed gold as the sun set in the distance. Odin looked over his shoulder to make sure no one would hear you.

“Rena,” he signed, then looked seriously at you, “have you ever heard of a royal huntress?”

You shook your head, “No, sir, I didn’t know the position existed.”

Odin sighed, “That is because it does not.”

“I-I don’t understand…”

“I made the position up. Rena, there has been a threat against my sons’ lives.”

You couldn’t find the words to express your shock. “I…what? Who would do such a thing?” you stuttered.

“We don’t know,” Odin heaved a sigh, “at the moment, my wife, you, and myself are the only ones who know of this threat.”

“The princes don’t know this?”

“I know that sounds like the most logical thing, for me to tell them, but please, Rena, try to see this from the view of a parent,” Odin gazed out over the horizon. “They are both very brave, and such knowledge would not frighten them as it would if they were small children, but…” Odin’s voice trailed off. “No matter how much they grow, how many battles they win, how many grandchildren they give me, I will always see them as my sons…As my little boys.”

You gave a small nod, “I understand, Your Majesty…”

The king interrupted your sentence. “Please, call me Odin,” he attempted to smile despite the pain of what he was telling you.

“I understand, Odin,” it felt strange to address the king by his first name. “I apologize; no one should ever have to fear for their loved ones this way.”

“I suppose it’s the price for being able to raise them in a palace,” Odin said solemnly, “but that is what I really need you for. I need you to be a guard for them that they are not aware they have.”

“Why me? Why some girl from a faraway village? Surely there are guards with better training.”

“And they’re all spoiled, too,” Odin furrowed his brow. “Take someone who’s grown up having everything they ever needed or wanted. I can have them come take this job, but they’d never take it seriously. If they failed, they always have their riches to fall back on, so why would they bother trying too hard? Besides, my sons would notice a guard constantly trailing them. I wanted someone who would appreciate what they are being given for this task. Someone who grew up working to earn what they needed, and will strive to give nothing but their best.”

Odin paused, staring out over the garden. He turned to look at you, “Running into you today was no accident. I’ve had my spies search nearly every village. They told me about a girl who would walk for miles every day to go hunting so she might feed her large family. They said she refused to go home empty-handed, and was a fair shot as well.”

This information shocked you to the core. How long had this been going on? You didn’t particularly want to ask. “With your skills and dedication, I knew you would be perfect for this assignment,” Odin said placing a hand on your shoulder.

You narrowed your eyes, determination etched in your face. You took a deep breath, “What must I do?”

“They are safe on palace grounds. So long as they are here, you are free to do as you wish. One thing I do ask that you do in this spare time is learn, however. Improve the skills you already have, and explore new abilities you might not even know you possessed.”

You nodded eagerly, “I’ll train every day.”

Odin’s lips turned up in a smile, “I ask that you accompany them when they leave the palace, and protect them from any harm.”

“What if they each leave the palace going different places, or the refuse to let me accompany them?”

“Let me worry about that. Lastly, to keep up the image of a royal huntress, you must perform the duties of one. Otherwise, you may do what pleases you.”

You nodded, “Thank you, Odin, for everything.”

The king smiled, “No, thank you.”

With that, Odin excused himself to attend to some business. Night had fallen when you returned to your room. The fire casted shadows that crawled up the walls and stretched over the furniture. You lit a candle that had been on your bedside table and entered the dressing room. The seamstresses must have come back while you were at dinner. Inside you found a white nightgown with long sleeves folded up and left out for you to wear to bed. Sitting next to it was your new uniform. You picked it up and unfolded the articles of clothes, holding them up against your body and looking in the mirror.

The boots were different from any kind you had worn before. Three straps buckled across the front to keep them snug. The sole was designed to give you traction, and the inside was fitted with a soft, warm material that seemed to be water resistant. The pants tucked neatly into the boots, and had a belt with a sheath attached and holding a sharp, polished dagger. The trousers were fitted so they weren’t tight enough to limit mobility, or loose enough to get caught on anything you might run into while hunting. The shirt was fitted similarly, with a hood sewn to the back of the neck, long sleeves, and a dagger that was strapped to each upper arm. Brown leather arm guards that were to be worn over the sleeves covered your forearms and had attached fingerless gloves. The rest of the outfit was black, except for the kingdom’s seal that had been stitched on the left side of the chest.

Next to the outfit was a bow, stronger than any you had ever made. A quiver of arrows and a sword in a sheath that you could wear crossed in and X shape on your back rested nearby. A note had been left from the seamstresses explaining that with the cold weather approaching they had made this winter uniform first, and were currently tailoring one for spring and summer. You found a place to keep the uniform in the large room and put on your night gown. You walked back out into your room, blowing out the candle you had taken with you, then crawled under the covers of your new bed. The sheets were soft against your skin, not like the coarse blanket you’d had at home. As the fire died down, and darkness fell over you, you drifted into sleep.

 

It was still dark when you awoke. You blinked, a bit confused at first, but then you remembered the events that had taken place the day before. You tried to go back to sleep, but it wasn’t much use. You’d trained yourself to wake up early in the morning since you started hunting, and hadn’t slept in for years. You gave up, and continued the book you had started the day before when you decided it was too early to ask for a tour of the palace.

By the time you had finished the book and started a new one the sun was up and there was a knock on the door. You found Faith and two other servants waiting outside. Faith was carrying a tray piled high with rolls, eggs, sausage, and fruits. The other two servants carried two boxes identical to the ones the seamstresses had brought your dress in. “Good morning, madam,” Faith said cheerfully.

“Good morning,” you replied with a smile and took the tray.

“Did you sleep well, madam?”

“I did, thank you.”

The other two servants handed you the boxes once you’d set the tray down on the table by the fire. You thanked them as they bowed and left the room. “They are new outfits from the seamstresses,” Faith explained. “They say that you’ll have enough to fill your dressing room by the end of the month, madam.

“They’re too kind,” you whispered as you ran a hand over one of the box covers.

Faith left you to finish your breakfast, telling you that from now on whenever you ate in your room just to leave the tray and any leftovers outside your door to be collected by a servant. As much as you wanted to eat every last crumb you were only able to eat about half of the large amount of food you had been given. You wanted to keep your promise to the king of training every day, and an overfilled stomach wasn’t going to help with that.

After leaving the tray outside you opened both of the boxes. One contained a red dress with gold embroidery, and a pair of matching shoes. The other contained a shirt and pair of boots, both black, and brown trousers. At the bottom of the box you also found multiple loops of thick, black cloth. You discovered they were to tie your hair back, and used one of the cloth circles to do so. You chose the shirt and pants, dressed into them and walked out into the corridor.

Your boots clicked on the polished marble floor. Before Faith had left you’d asked for the way to the library. You figured there must be some kind of map of the palace there, and intended to ask the librarian. You turned a corner and stopped yourself just before you ran into someone.

The man was tall and muscular. His blonde hair barely brushed his broad shoulders, and his blue eyes stared down at you in surprise. Prince Thor. You quickly stepped back and bowed your head, “I apologize, Your Highness.”

The prince smiled, “No, I am sorry, madam. I was lost in thought and not watching where I was going.”

You tilted your gaze upwards to look him in the face. Thor smiled down at you, his sky blue eyes glistening. “Where are you headed?” Thor asked.

“To the library, Your Highness,” you said shyly.

The prince chuckled, “Please, call me Thor.”

“I was just wondering if there was some kind of map there that I could use to find my way around the palace,” you explained as you returned Thor’s smile.

“There’s no need for that, I can give you a tour.”

“I don’t mean to trouble you,” you said hesitantly.

“No trouble at all,” Thor insisted. “Follow me.”

You and Thor roamed through the castle. Thor explained every room and its purpose as you committed every door and hallway to memory. The palace was even more amazing then you had believed. "How do you like it?" Thor asked at the end of the tour.

"It's incredible," you exclaimed, "I can't believe no one gets lost in here."

Thor laughed, "So what are your plans now?"

You pursed your lips, "I suppose I'll go down to the armory."

"Might I come with you?" Thor asked eagerly, "I don't have any duties to attend to today."

You folded your arms across your chest and narrowed your eyes at him, "No, I forbid that the prince of Asgard goes to this particular room in his own home."

Thor burst out laughing as you cracked a smiled. "Well, if the lovely Rena forbids it..." Thor's voice trailed off.

You rolled your eyes and laughed softly. You and Thor made your way back to the armory which he had shown you earlier.

Inside you both picked up a sword and faced each other at the center of the room. "I've never used a sword before," you admitted as you awkwardly gripped the handle.

Thor smiled, "No worries, I'll teach you."

Once Thor taught you how to hold the sword properly you began sparring. He started slowly, allowing you to learn new maneuvers and teaching you defensive stances. After several hours you had learned the basics and increased you speed. Thor lunged to strike at you but you skillfully parried the blow, and pushed back. Thor staggered backwards, and you took the opportunity to try out a move he had taught you. You spun your blade around his, then pressed down. Thor had taught you that this would cause an opponent to drop their sword. At the last moment before the handle left his grasp you added your own maneuver. You stepped forward and grabbed the hilt of his sword, gracefully snatching it away. You pointed the tip of his sword away from him with the handle out of his reach, and stood with your blade pointed at Thor.

"And you claim you have never picked up a sword until today?" Thor exclaimed as you lowered your sword and held his out to him.

"I haven't," you stated as Thor took his blade, "I've never needed one to hunt."

He narrowed his eyes at you and tried to suppress a smile, "Don't lie to the prince."

"I speak the truth," you said holding your hands up defensively.

Thor arched an eyebrow, “If you insist.”

You continued sparring until the both of you had determined you’d had enough. You decided to go visit your family. Thor nearly followed you to their rooms when thankfully a servant informed his that his father wished to speak with him. Janna and Sam didn’t hesitate to tell you about their new tutor and their first day in the palace. Thankfully the questions asked about the royal huntress position were limited.

You completed your original task of going to the library next, but not to acquire maps. Instead you stocked up on books of almost every topic, from medicine to fighting techniques, anything that could help you protect the princes. You were able to carry all of these books, but the stack went well up to your nose. You had to carefully balance the stack on one hand and open your door with the other. You closed the door with your foot, started to turn away from it, and suddenly froze.

A feeling that you were bring watched suddenly crept over you. It was a sixth sense you had gained from spending so much time hunting in the woods. You crept over to the table by the fire where you quietly set down the books, then padded to the bathroom. No one was in there, or your dressing room either. You looked out onto your balcony to find it empty as well. You stood in the center of your room, with your hands on your hips. “Hello?” you said.

Suddenly the feeling was gone, washed out of you like a passing storm. You shivered, assumed you were just being paranoid, and began your reading.


	4. Blood Stains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You take a voyage, and your skills are put to the test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for the kudos, I get so excited every time I see that someone new likes this. :) Hope you like this chapter, I had a lot of fun writing it.

You had lived in the palace for a little over three weeks now. You’d kept your promise to Odin of keeping his sons safe. Thor invited you to come along nearly wherever he went. The two of you practiced sparring every day, practicing to use new weapons and maneuvers. Though you weren’t nearly as strong as Thor, you used it to your advantage by nimbly performing acrobatics during duels. Soon you were so skilled that Thor even had to ask your family for confirmation that you’d never used a sword before. Loki on the other hand didn’t leave the palace much. Though when he did it was with a group that you were a part of, or somewhere you could easily follow him without being seen.

One afternoon you sat by your fireplace, reading the last book from the pile you’d borrowed from the library on your first day. You were happy to be finishing those books. Though you wanted the information to help you protect the princes, and you were grateful for any book you could get your hands on with them being so rare in your village, they were so bland. You craved a plot and characters you could get to know and have an adventure with. Though at the moment, you considered your own life to be not too shy of an adventure.

There was a knock at the door. You set down the book and answered it. Faith stood outside. “The king has asked for your presence in the throne room, madam,” she informed you.

“Did he say what for?” you asked as you pulled on a pair slippers that matched the plain dress you were wearing.

Faith shook her head, “He called down the princes as well a few minutes ago, but that’s all I heard.”

You thanked her and started for the throne room. Your footsteps echoed through the empty corridor. You approached the large set of doors leading to the throne room. You raised a hand to knock on the door the same moment a high pitched, playful shriek rang out from inside the room. Your heart dropped to your stomach. You gulped and knocked on the door. “Enter,” you heard the king’s voice boom.

You pushed the door open and gasped at the sight. Odin stood at the bottom of the steps leading to his throne. Frigga was chasing after Janna and Sam as Elise and Claire toddled about on the floor. Sam and Janna rushed to Thor and Loki, who stood side by side. The children hid from the queen behind the princes’ legs as she pursued them. “Janna, Sam,” you said, your eyes wide.

Your siblings looked out from their hiding places to see you. Their faces were that of culprits. The queen smiled and laughed, “It’s quite all right, dear. I just gave your siblings some of my sons’ old toys, and they invited me to play with them.”

Frigga gestured to the toys strewn about the room. Small boats, sewn cloth animals, and warriors with tiny, polished armor littered the floor. You relaxed and your siblings went back to chasing each other around the room. Frigga scooped up one of the twins – you knew it was Elise from the birthmark on the back of her neck – and sat on the floor with the child in her lap. Frigga smiled to herself as she stroked Elise’s thin blonde hair. She sighed, “It’s so nice to have children running around the palace again.”

No sooner had the remark left her mouth when the queen shot a disapproving look at Thor and Loki. All of the sudden the floor and walls of the room became things of great interest to the princes. Odin approached you, chuckling as Sam raced passed him. He motioned for his sons to join him. “We will be leaving on a voyage in several days,” the king explained as the three of you gathered around him. “The leader of the country Alteh is willing to work out a peace treaty. I can trust that you will accompany us, Rena?”

“Yes, sir,” you said with a nod.

“Excellent,” Odin turned his attention to Frigga who’d gone back to playing with the children, a smiled coming across his face. “I think she will be happy to have some company for when we’re gone.”

 

On the morning of the trip you went through your mental check list of what was packed in your chest. Odin predicted that the entire trip would last two weeks. The seamstresses had made you seven winter uniforms in total. Six were packed away, and you were wearing the seventh (you were to wear one at all times when on duty). Your hair was tied back with one of the cloth loops, and some extras were in the chest. You had also packed undergarments, extra pants, boots, a shirt, a dagger, and one of your less decorative dresses just in case.

You tossed three books into the chest. You were finally able to return all the instructional books to the library. These three were fiction stories from the bookcase in your room. You were going through those books rapidly, and would probably need to visit the library again soon.

You found a handkerchief that you used to polish your knives and added it to the luggage. Even with all of that there was still room in the medium sized chest. You assumed it was just from folding all the clothes and packing them in stacks. Still, it felt like something was missing. You had all your daggers in their sheaths, your sword and quiver of arrows were strapped across your back, and you’d slid your head and arm through your bow so it rested on your shoulder.

Your hand went to your neck and you realized what was missing. In the bathroom you found your necklace on the counter, exactly where you left it when you’d taken a bath that morning. It was nothing decorative, but you’d worn it every day since you received it five years ago. The necklace was composed of two leather strings that attached to the clasp. The thicker of the two cords was made of even thinner strands of leather woven together. This cord was only big enough to fit snugly like a collar around your throat. The other was a single, longer strand that allowed the pendant to lie at the center of your chest. It was a symbol carved out of dark green jade. It had been in your father's side of the family for ages. Your grandmother had told you never to sell the necklace, no matter how valuable it became, or how desperate you were.

You clipped it around your neck and walked back into your room. You closed the chest and picked it up by the handles, carrying it outside.

Several carriages waited in front of the palace. The royal family stood off to the side. Frigga was saying fare well to Odin and the princes. You'd said your good-byes to your family earlier that morning. You placed your chest with the rest of the luggage that was being loaded into a carriage. You turned back to face the palace, and what you saw made you gasp. Though he was aided by a crutch, Marcus was walking down the steps in front of the palace. Janna held his free hand while Sam walked besides him. You took a few steps closer as they approached you. Marcus smiled and you threw your arms around him. "Did you really think I wouldn't say good-bye?" he asked, letting go of Janna's hand to wrap his arm around you.

You laughed and let go. "I can't believe this, it's only been a month," you said in amazement.

Marcus smiled, "It's all thanks to you."

Thor approached you, smiling at your bewildered expression. "Ready to go?" he asked.

You nodded. Marcus smiled at Thor and nodded, "Keep an eye on her, will you? She tends to get into trouble."

Thor gave a deep laugh, "Of course, but I must ask that you tell me these stories of trouble when we return."

"But of course, Your Highness."

The two laughed at your expense. You narrowed your eyes at Marcus. "I'll put you back in that infirmary," you threatened.

You knelt down to hug Sam and Janna one last time before turning and heading to the carriages. "You must ride with us," Thor insisted as Odin stepped into a coach.

Thor climbed in next. You stood back to let Loki go in before you, but he gestured for you to go first. You thanked him and climbed into the carriage. You sat next to Thor on the cushioned bench, diagonal from Odin. Loki sat in front of you and the driver shut the door. The carriage jerked forward and you heard the sound of hooves hitting the stone pathway. You looked out the window before turning through the gate to see your brothers and sister standing and waving at you from the front of the palace.

The carriage rumbled along until you arrived at a beach. You carefully stepped out onto the sandy ground, uncertain of the footing. You’d never been on a beach, and the way the sand sunk slightly under your feet made you walk cautiously to the boat.

It was fall now, and cold winds rolled off the sea and gusted through the shore. As your hair waved in the breeze you were thankful for the material the seamstresses had made your winter uniform out of. It trapped in your body heat, keeping you warm despite the chill.

You and the rest of the travelers walked out onto a dock, then up a gangplank that led to the king’s ship. The way the ship swayed in the water disturbed you as much as the sand, though you kept this to yourself. At the same time you were amazed. One of the books you had borrowed from the library taught you everything there was to know about sailing, but the dull description could not compare to being on a real boat. The white caps at the crest of the waves, the light smell of salt in the air, even the rocking of the ship soon felt relaxing to you.

The ship began to pull away from the dock. You stood on one side and looked over the railing, watching the palace in the distance as it shrank until it was nothing more than a speck. “Funny,” you thought, “how something so powerful can seem so insignificant from far away.”

You ate with the crew and other servants when dinner was served. Aside from the healer that had come with the group, you were the only woman. You knew the king would only hire respectful, well-mannered people, and even if they weren’t they wouldn’t dare touch you due to your relationship with him. Still you kept your daggers and sword strapped onto you at all times (you opted to leave your bow and quiver in your room while at sea since you would have no use for it). The healer sat with you at every meal.

That night you retired to your room. It was on the bottom floor of the ship, but you had it all to yourself unlike the crew that slept in bunks. The room contained your chest, a bed, and an oil lamp that hung from the ceiling. You changed into the pants and shirt you had brought, and let the swaying of the boat rock you to sleep.

 

You were halfway to Alteh. It was nearly evening and you were leaning your elbows on the railing of the ship’s deck. You watched the waves swell, and the spray of water as the ship sliced through the ocean. You heard footsteps and turned to see who it was. Thor was approaching you. You’d talked a bit throughout the voyage, but not much. The king and princes had been in their quarters for most of the trip, discussing how to make a peace treaty with Alteh. You turned and instead leaned with your back to the railing, gripping it with your hands for support. Thor smiled, “You seem to be enjoying yourself.”

“How could I not be?” you responded. “I heard about the ocean back in my village, but this, this is…” you searched for the words to describe how you felt. “I can’t even explain it.”

Thor chuckled as he stood next to you, “I never liked sailing much. You seem like you could spend every day on the water, though.”

You laughed to yourself, “Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I'll retire when we get back home, and become a pirate. I’ll be the most feared pirate to ever sail these waters!”

“Now, don’t do that,” Thor said, acting like he was upset, “I’ll never get to see you.”

You let out a short laugh, “Don’t worry, I’ll come and visit when I’m not raiding villages and relaxing on one of my private islands.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

You stood in silence for a moment. “Have you figured out a treaty the leader might accept?” you asked.

Thor sighed, “We aren’t sure what he will want. Alteh is a very poor country. I’ve never been, but my father says that even the leader lives in a mud hut,” Thor drummed his fingers on the railing. “That’s why we need peace with them. They aren’t nearly as advanced but being so desperate and living in such conditions makes them savage warriors.”

“And they don’t have much food to offer you, so that’s why I came along?”

“Well, that and I wanted the company,” Thor smirked.

You rolled your eyes, and crossed one leg in front of the other. In the other corner of the deck Loki was talking to several crew members. You couldn’t hear what was being said over the crashing of the waves. “I don’t think your brother likes me very much,” you said, squinting as the setting sun glared in your eyes.

Thor turned to look at Loki, then back at you, “Don’t take it to heart. He’s never been one to let people in easily.”

“Shy?”

“Quite the opposite, actually, he just seems to enjoy solitude.”

You nodded. Thankfully Thor changed the topic. You weren’t sure why you could talk so easily to this prince but the thought of the other sent a chill up your spine. Perhaps it was because Thor had become a friend of yours to the point where you could tease him without the fear of disrespecting a member of the royal family. Loki on the other hand was distant. Your family and their majesties were on a first name basis, but the only full conversation you’d ever had with Loki had been when several others were a part of it.

You sighed. He had been polite. You remembered the day you first met him, when he held the door open for you and called you ‘milady’. Maybe that was just manners, and he really didn’t like you at all. Or maybe it was you. Maybe you believed the rumors that spread throughout the kingdom. That he was a heartless creature with no sympathy towards others. You shook your head. Why were you even pondering this? You were his protector. The king had just asked that you keep him safe, not befriend him.

You and Thor talked until the sun had disappeared, sunk down to the bottom of the ocean and extinguished. You returned to your room where you read until you fell asleep.

 

On the morning of the arrival, you stood decked out in your full uniform and weaponry in formation with the rest of those who were going ashore. The king stood in front with Thor and Loki at his sides, and the three were flanked by guards. You stood not too far back with the remainder of the travelers who would not be staying on the ship.

The group had needed to take several smaller boats to shore, as there was no dock for the large ship. A group awaited you on the beach. Their clothes were made of rags, and their bodies were covered with dirt. They wore clay beads on strands of woven horse hair, and their faces were painted with different colors. They provided a horse for each traveler.

Before coming to the palace you had not ridden a horse for many years. Your family had had one before your father died. You would ride every day, but it had to be sold to make ends meet. Thor took you out riding several times during your time at the palace. Along with the uniform and weapons the royal huntress was provided with their own steed. You had a jet black stallion, not as large as the horses ridden by the members of the royal family, but still rather tall. You had named him Bandit, and after riding several times you regained the skill you’d had as a child. Riding the horse provided to you upon arrival to Alteh with no saddle was now simple.

Your group rode for several miles inland until you reached a large village of mud huts, surrounded by a forest. The leader of Alteh emerged from the largest of the huts as you rode into the village. Everyone dismounted their horses, which were taken back to a poorly built corral by their owners.

Odin approached the king of Alteh. They bowed respectfully to each other. The Alteh king was younger, taller, and more muscular than Odin. Unlike his people the leaders tan skin was not coated with dirt, and his dark brown hair was not matted. He wore the same beads and colorful paint along with a permanent scowl.

Odin explained who the members of your group were. This new country was the farthest you’d ever been from home. The new sights unlocked an alert fear in your chest, but you stood firmly with a serious face as the natives looked over you. The leader of Alteh pointed to where your group was to set up camp. It was a clear patch of dry grass secluded from the rest of the village. Odin approached you as the rest of your group set up the tarps for makeshift shelters. “We will need food for this evening,” he informed you.

You nodded, “I’ll start hunting.”

Odin patted you on the shoulder and a servant provided you with a game bag. Unlike the burlap ones you’d made at home, this one was sturdier and had multiple pockets on the outside for any wild fruits or vegetables you collected. You shouldered the bag and stalked to the woods, taking up your bow and loading it with an arrow.

You moved silently through the forest. You heard every twig snap and took in every leaf that blew in the wind. You followed the foliage, knowing that the more lush and green it was the closer you were to water, and that animals would need to stop there to drink.

You found a large brook and gracefully jumped across to where fresh tracks led away from the stream. You kept on the path of hoof prints and trampled undergrowth until a strange type of deer you’d never seen came into view. You crouched behind the brush, watching the animal through the leaves. It slowly trotted to the left and you pursued. The strange deer came to a halt, wrapping its tongue around the low hanging leaves of a tree and pulling them into its mouth. You let it munch on the leaves, and when it wrapped its tongue around another branch silently stood and let the arrow fly.

It pierced the animal’s eye. It let out a strangled cry and fell. You rushed to the deer, retrieving your arrow and sliding it back into the quiver. You used your dagger to cut up the animal, leaving no meat to go to waste, and storing it in the game bag.

You continued to hunt, shooting a large, flightless bird whose species was unfamiliar to you, and two smaller birds that did fly. You gathered some berries, roots, and edible flowers that you’d seen in your books and knew were safe to eat.

When you returned to the village Odin and the princes were nowhere to be seen. You gave your game bag to the cook who informed you that they had gone to work out the treaty. He emptied the game bag and returned it to you. You went back into the forest and hunted until the bag was full again then returned, repeating the process for the rest of the day.

When the royal family returned they looked exhausted. The men’s eyelids drooped, and they trudged back to their tent, which was the largest of the ones set up. A servant brought them their dinner, but Odin asked that they be left only for the rest of the night. You ate your dinner with the rest of the group around a fire.

You asked the cook how much food was left, and he informed you that there would not be enough for breakfast for the entire group. As you entered the woods again you realized how little food your family used to eat in comparison to the large group of men you were providing for now.

When you determined that you had enough food for the next day you began to head back to camp. You stopped by the same brook you had come across earlier, dropping to your knees and setting the game bag down beside you. The whole place was bathed in the silvery glow of the moonlight, and the brook reflected the stars in the deep black sky. You reached for the cloth band that held your hair up and pulled it out, letting your hair tumble down your back. You set it down with the game bag and cupped your hands, dipping them into the rushing water. Your throat was dry as the sand on the beach. You held your hands to your mouth and sipped the water.

Without warning a chill ran up the back of your spine, and you had the feeling that a pair of eyes were roaming over you. In a second you were on your feet with your sword drawn. Your eyes darted from tree to tree, searching for the source of the feeling that had come over you. Then, just like in your room, the feeling vanished.

You let out a defeated sigh, gathered up your things, and headed back to the village.

 

After several days, the two kings had finally worked out a treaty. Your group packed up their belongings, and rode back to the ship with a several escorts. It was the day before you were to arrive back home. The morning sky had been red, and throughout the day the winds blew violently as dark clouds loomed on the horizon. By evening you were in the center of a storm.

You were on the deck, standing under the small awning provided by the quarter deck. You grasped one of the support columns to keep from falling. Rain came down in sheets over the wooden floor, and crew members yelled orders over the sound of violently crashing waves. The water swelled high above the ship and crashed down on it. The wind howled and thunder boomed. The door behind you opened. You turned to see the king and princes accompanied by two guards cautiously step out as the floor swayed. The captain rushed across the deck to them, careful not to slip. He pushed his wet hair out of his face. "The storm doesn't seem to be letting up," he had to shout to be heard over the rain and crashing waves. "There's nothing we can do but keep heading straight."

A crack of lightening lit the sky. In the brief moment of light you saw a shape rise up on one of the waves then just as quickly disappear. "Did you see that?" you called over the noise.

Thor craned his neck to look out over the ocean, "See what?"

"I...I think it was another ship."

As if to confirm your suspicions the large boat rose up again, this time much closer. It rode down a wave towards your ship. It passed by a fair distance away, but in a matter of moments circled around the back, and came up much closer on the other side. You studied the ship carefully. There were men hanging high by the sails. As the ship neared they swung across the distance between your boats and landed on the deck. They each brandished a sword. One stabbed a crew member in the chest. His deep scream pierced the air. The other sailors quickly drew their swords to defend themselves. You heard the sharp ring of steel and turned to see Thor and Loki each draw swords and rush out into the fight. "No!" you heard Odin cry as the guards blocked him, and started to force him back into the safety of the captain's quarters.

You drew your sword and ran out into the battle. The rain pelted whatever skin was exposed, soaking you instantly. One of the attackers charged at you. You parried his blow and pushed him back. Your swords clashed together, ringing sharply. You performed a maneuver to knock his sword out of his hand then landed a kick the attacker's chest. He slipped in the water that coated the deck. You turned, grabbed the dagger strapped to your left arm and hurled it through the air. It plunged into the shoulder of the man Thor was fighting. You turned to another attacker and struck out. He dodged and jabbed at you. You sidestepped, but his blade sliced into your left side. You gritted your teeth, ignoring the pain as you dragged your blade across his unprotected chest. The cut wasn't deep, but it was enough to make him scream. You hit him in the head with the pommel of your sword and pushed him over the railing into the churning waters.

You felt a sharp pain in your back. One of the attackers had sliced a deep, long gash through your shirt and into your back, severing the strap that held you sheath there. With a thud it landed on the deck. "Agh!" you clenched you jaw, cutting off most of the scream that had formed in your throat.

You turned, driving your sword into his right shoulder. He threw his head back and cried out in pain. You ripped your sword out of him and grabbed his as his grip on the handle loosened. You pushed him aside and quickly surveyed the deck. The crew had dealt with a majority of the assailants, but whoever remained was going for the princes. Most of the crew went to assist Thor, leaving Loki to deal with five bandits. You threw the sword you'd taken at one of the attackers, hitting them in the back. As he went down you pulled out your other dagger. It sailed through the air and pierced a bandit in between his shoulder blades as you rushed towards the group. Loki dispatched one of the men, and deflected the sword of another.

The last two began to strike out against Loki. You closed in, and landed your fist on the closest one's jaw. He turned his attention on you, his eyes ablaze with anger. He plunged a dagger into your right arm. You ripped the knife out of your muscle and clamped your free hand on his shoulder. Lightening cracked as you bared your teeth and drove the dagger through the attacker's chest.

Blood sprayed out of his chest and onto your face. The light faded from his eyes as his body went limp and slid off the blade. The sounds of fighting died down with all of the attackers dispatched. You blinked, and looked down at your hands. They were coated in blood. Your body started shaking, and your breathing quickened. The knife fell from your hand. "I killed him," you thought.

"Rena?" you heard Loki's voice, barely audible over the drumming of the rain.

You looked up at the prince. His eyes softened, and concern was written on his face. "Rena!" Thor's voice called out over the noise of the storm as he rushed at you from across the deck.

"I'm fine!" your voice shook as you called above the noise.

You let out a small gasp as the floor seemed to fall out from under your feet, and everything went black.


	5. Close Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will you ever be able to forgive yourself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it to this chapter (or are just reading this story at all): thank you so much you wonderful person!

Your head pounded and your body ached. You groaned and attempted to open your eyes. Everything was hazy. You felt like you were under water. The light from the lamp swinging on the ceiling irritated your eyes. Soon you adjusted and were able to look at your surroundings. You were in your room on the ship. You were lying in bed, wearing the extra shirt and pair of pants you'd been sleeping in during the trip. Something coarse was wrapped around you under the shirt. The healer knelt by your bed. "What happened?" you moaned.

She held out a glass of water and some herbs you recognized as pain killers from the medical book. "Take this, madam," she urged you, "it will ease the pain."

You shook your head, "N-no! What happened? I need to know! Was anyone hurt?"

The healer sighed and set the glass and herbs down on the bedside table, "Take them when you're ready."

With that she left. Not too long after Odin came into your room. You tried to sit up and get out of the bed, but he held out a hand. "Just relax," he said firmly.

"The princes, were they hurt?" you asked, eyes wide in concern.

Odin shook his head, "Nothing major, just a few cuts.”

You let out a sigh of relief. “My guards are all under oath that they keep the king safe at all costs,” Odin explained. “They locked me in the captain’s quarters during the attack, but I heard that you fought bravely.”

You were sick to your stomach again. You had killed one of the attackers, and doomed several others to the same fate. Your eyes flicked to your hands; your murderous hands. You pushed the thought out of your head, trying to focus on the conversation at hand. “Thank you,” you replied to the compliment. 

“The healer says you were badly wounded,” Odin said.

You shifted, feeling the bandage that covered everything below your shoulders under your shirt. You felt another on the arm that had been stabbed. “She said the cuts were deep enough to kill,” Odin’s eyes were filled with concern.

“I’ll be sure to thank her,” you said sincerely.

Odin let out a small sigh, “We’ve kept the survivors as prisoners. We plan to interrogate them properly when we arrive back at the palace, but, from what we’ve found out so far, I do not believe these are the same people who threatened my sons.”

“So, they were just bandits?”

“We believe so, meaning the threat still remains. Our healer says that so long as you get rest and take the medication she gives you, you will be able to perform just as well as you usually do, but it will take some time to make a full recovery and not need medicine at all.”

You nodded, “I’ll do what she tells me.”

Odin smiled and chuckled to himself, “My sons are both very concerned. I told them not to pester you, so notify me if they do.”

“I can go see them if they want…”

“No, it’s quite all right, you need to rest,” Odin opened the door and began to leave. “I’ll tell them you’re fine. We will be arriving back at the palace this evening.”

He shut the door behind him. You sighed and quickly took the bitter pain killers that the healer had left you. The aching stopped several minutes later, but you could not sleep. You tossed and turned on the bed, finally gave up and picked up the book you were currently reading.

 

When you finished the book you packed it back in the chest along with your other belongings. You changed into another one of your uniforms and tied your hair back. On the above deck you could hear running and shouting as the crew prepared to dock the ship. You sat on your bed as the boat swayed and eventually came to a halt. A servant came to collect your luggage and you emerged from your room.

As you walked down the gangplank you saw Odin and the princes far up ahead in the line of travelers on the dock. By the time you were on the beach they’d stepped into a carriage that had taken off in the direction of the palace. You quickly jumped into another with some guards and a servant.

As the parade of carriages pulled through the gates you looked out the window. Your family was waiting with Frigga in front of the palace as the sun began to set behind the hills. Your carriage came to a stop, and the driver opened the door. Outside Thor noticed you and smiled as you walked back to your families. You thought Loki had looked in your direction as well but he quickly turned away when you made eye contact.

You both approached your families. Frigga stepped forward and kissed Odin on the cheek. You smiled, about to tell your family how you missed them when Sam ran forward and tightly wrapped his arms around your torso. You let out a small yelp as pain shot through your body when the pressure was applied to the cuts on your back and side. Sam immediately jumped off at your response. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Thor and Loki looking at you with concern.

“Is everything all right, dear?” Frigga asked you, confused.

“We ran into some trouble on our way back,” Odin explained to the group. “Bandits. Rena suffered some serious injuries, but our healer took good care of her, and she’ll be better soon.”

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” your mother’s voice trembled as she came forward to hug you, more gently than Sam. “W-what are you wearing?” she asked as she took her hands off your back.

“It’s just a bandage,” you said innocently.

Your mother bit her lip. As the night sky grew darker you were all ushered into the palace. After being welcomed back by each of your family members you managed to escape to your room where a servant brought up your chest shortly afterwards. You opened it and put away everything except for the shirt from your uniform that had been cut during the fight. You left it over one of the chairs to bring to the seamstresses later.

You walked into the washroom and began to draw a bath. As the water slowly began to fill the tub you reached to the back of your neck to remove your necklace. As your fingers brushed against your neck, you felt nothing. You quickly placed your hand over your chest but did not feel the smooth pendant. You whirled to look in the mirror. Your necklace was gone.

You stopped the water to prevent the tub from overflowing and rushed into your dressing room. You checked the pockets of every outfit you had brought on the trip. You opened the chest you’d taken and dumped the contents on the floor, which consisted of nothing. You went through ever drawer and closet, checked the bedside tables, and looked under the bed and by the fireplace. You checked under the pillows and shook out the comforter of your bed to see if it was hiding there. It was all to no avail.

You sat at the foot of your bed, curling your knees to your chest and resting your forehead on them. You thought back to when you last had the necklace. It was around your neck throughout the entire voyage. You’d had it on the ship during your journey home, and lastly during the battle. Your heart sank. The attack. The necklace must have fallen off while you were in the midst of fighting. Tears welled in your eyes as you imagined the ancient piece of jewelry sliding along the deck through the rain, and into the ocean where it would sink to the bottom, and never see daylight again.

What would your grandmother say? You were holding back sobs, picturing how her face would look when you told her what happened, when there was a knock on your door. You took a deep breath and dried your tears. You stood and walked to the door. When you opened it you were surprised at who was standing there. “Loki,” you said in shock, “um, did you need something?”

“I-I found this on the ship,” he said, “and I thought it was yours.”

The prince held out a hand. You gasped when you saw your necklace in the center of his palm. “Oh, thank you, Loki!” you exclaimed and stepped forward, wrapping your arms around the prince.

Loki was taken aback at first, but a smile found its way onto his lips as he placed his arms around your back. You stepped backwards, smiling up at him. Loki held out the necklace and you gently took it from his hand which was cold as ice, and much larger than yours. “I found it on the deck this morning,” he explained, “and I’ve seen you wearing it all the time.”

His observation astounded you. Your family had made comments when you first received the necklace, but soon it became natural for them to see you wearing it. Even Thor had said nothing about how you wore it every day in the several weeks you’d been friends, yet somehow Loki had been the one to recognize it as yours.

“Thank you so much,” you said as you looked lovingly at the necklace. “I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost it.”

“It must be very special to you,” Loki acknowledged.

You nodded, “It’s been a part of my father’s family for centuries.”

“It appears that the clasp it broken. I could bring it to the seamstresses to have it repaired if you wish.”

“Don’t trouble yourself, I was about to bring up my uniform to see if it could be mended,” you gestured to the shirt that was draped across one of the chairs.

From this angle you and Loki could easily see the tears on the back, side, and arm. “How are you feeling?” Loki asked tentatively as his eyes traveled from the shirt to you.

At his words memories of the battle flooded back to you. You heard the rumbling of the storm and the crash of lightening. You felt the chill of rain as it pelted your skin and your hair plastered to your head. But what frightened you the most was way you saw the life leave the attacker’s eyes as you drove his knife into his chest. It had gone so instantaneously. One moment they were alive with fire and determination, then so suddenly they were dull and void emotion.

You cupped your elbows in your hands and shrugged, “Fine, I’m much better now.”

Loki cocked his head to the side, “Is something wrong?”

You shook your head, “No, I’m just a bit tired.”

“Rena,” Loki took a step closer, “you can tell me if something is bothering you.”

You looked down at the floor. You’d hardly ever talked to Loki, and on top of that there were the rumors. You’d been told awful stories about this prince. To say that he was the black sheep of the family was an understatement. Even so, ever since he said your name right after you’d killed the bandit, you wanted to tell him everything. You wanted to tell him your darkest secrets that you buried deep down in the depths of your memory. “No,” the voice in your head said firmly as you pushed the idea away, “that’s too dangerous.”

“I-I just,” you stammered.

You stepped backwards, allowing Loki into the room. He shut the door behind him to avoid eavesdroppers. You took a deep breath, “I killed that man. I’m embracing my family with the same hands I used to take a life. I-I…” you pressed your hands to your eyes as your voice failed to continue.

You felt a set of hands fall gently on your shoulders. You took your hands away from your eyes. Loki was looking down at you, your gazes locked. You’d never noticed how tall he was. You were by no means short, maybe even a bit taller than average, but you still only came up to his chest. “Rena,” he breathed, his voice soft and forgiving, “you have nothing to be ashamed of. I know what you’re feeling; I felt the same way after my first battle. People will tell you that you had no other choice, or that it was for the best, but true as that may be, it doesn’t lessen the pain.”

The sliver glow of the moon poured through the windows, and the fire cast a flickering light over the two of you. Shadows danced over his porcelain skin, and his glistening emerald eyes gazed over you with tenderness and understanding. “I feel like a monster,” you whispered.

“The guilt will pass,” Loki said gently, “I promise. What you’re feeling is only prof that that you’re not a monster.”

“Thank you, Loki.”

“Of course,” he smiled and took his hands off your shoulders, “is there anything else you needed?”

You gave a small smile, “No, thank you.”

“I’ll let you get back to what you were doing,” Loki said as he headed for the door.

“Goodnight.”

Loki looked back, smiling before he closed the door behind him, “Goodnight.”

 

The nightmares were nothing new. You’d had them every night since your father left. When you were young and they first started to occur you would wake up screaming, but you’d since learned to control it. You were usually able to just ignore what you saw during sleep and stick it out until morning, but sometimes, often after frightening events, it was too much. The dreams became more vivid and you had a new nightmare to add to your collection.

You dreamed that you were standing on a ship. The waves rose up almost to the clouds and you gripped the railing as the ship rocked so violently that it almost capsized. You saw the man you had killed. He rushed at you, tackling you to the floor. He gouged at your eyes. You moved your hands to throw him off of you, but the second you touched him you were holding a sword that had pierced completely through him.

The man’s eyes rolled back as he spat blood on your face. You whipped away the red, sticky liquid, and when you could see again you were back at your old home. Your father was there as well, and he was heading for the door. “Wait!” you cried.

You tried to stand but your legs refused to support you. You scrambled, dragging yourself across the floor, tripping until you managed to grasp one of his ankles. “Don’t go!” you begged.

Your father looked down at you, disgust etched in his face. “Don’t touch me you weak, pathetic excuse for a daughter!” he jerked his foot, easily throwing off your grasp and was out the door immediately.

You couldn’t stand. It was as though you were attached to the floor. You clawed at the door. You heard the ring of a sword and your father’s scream followed. “No!” you shrieked as you reached more desperately for the door. “No, no!”

“Rena!” you heard a voice say urgently. “Rena!”

You opened your eyes, taking in deep gulps of air as your heart raced. Your hair clung to your body, and the pillow was damp with sweat. You looked up to see the owner of the voice. Loki was gripping you by the shoulders, shaking you gently as he stared at you intensely with apprehension in his eyes. “Rena,” he repeated, this time more gently, “are you all right?”

You took a shaky breath, “I’m fine.”

“I heard you screaming, and when I came in you were thrashing like you were in pain.”

Embarrassed, you felt the heat rising in your cheeks, “I’m sorry for waking you.”

Loki shook his head, “No, don’t be sorry. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m…fine,” you stammered, “just a stupid dream.”

Loki didn’t look convinced. “Do you need me to do anything?” he asked, his voice filled with unease.

“No,” you shook your head slightly, “thank you for waking me up, and for your concern.”

Loki nodded, “Well, if you do, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thank you, I’ll be fine.”

Loki slowly got up and walked to the door, opening it and gently closing it behind him. You fell back on your bed. With the fear of the nightmare vanished, you could have fallen right back to sleep if it weren’t for one tiny detail.

You could have sworn you had locked your door.


	6. Don't Scare Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Losing the princes in a forest? Scary. A ball held for royalty from all over the world? Scarier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 25 kudos! You guys are amazing! For those of you who like this I have a feeling you're going to like the next chapter, bwahahaha!

"I won't stand for this," your mother said firmly.

It was the next evening after your nightmare. You had come down to say goodnight to your family and found her waiting for you in the hall outside their rooms. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, "If you are putting your life at risk than I'm not willing to stay here another second."

Your hands curled into fists, then opened and hung by your sides. You had worn a dress with a high back and long sleeves to hide the bandages. "I'm fine, Mother," you insisted. "If anything we're safer here than we were in the village."

"It's not worth you getting hurt!"

"I like it here," you blurted.

You mother frowned. "I refuse to let you get hurt for us," she said, oblivious to the approaching footsteps that echoed through the corridor. "Don't you remember what happened the last time?"

Your chest tightened. No, you didn't want to remember, but you unfortunately did. You didn't know how to respond, and were grateful when your mother dropped the issue and turned to see who was coming towards you. "Are we interrupting?" Thor asked as he and Loki stopped in their tracks.

Your mother smiled. "No, not at all," she turned back to you, seeming a bit more calm. "Marcus is asleep, and I need to help your grandmother. Can you please get your brother and sisters to sleep?"

You nodded, "Yes, goodnight."

"Goodnight," your mother said to the three of you and disappeared into her room.

You sighed and turned to your younger siblings' room. You pushed open the door to find Sam and Janna playing with the toys Frigga had given them. Upon seeing the princes in the door behind you Sam rushed forward and grabbed their hands, trying to pull them in the room. "Don't let her make us go to sleep!" he begged.

"I'm sorry," Thor laughed as the princes came into the room, "but this is a nonnegotiable matter.

You put your hands on your hips, "Janna," you said suspiciously, "where did you get that?"

Janna looked down at the dagger in the sheathe strapped around her waist, then back up at you. "From your chest while everyone was welcoming you back from your trip," she said guiltily.

You held out a finger, gesturing for her to come to you. She gently put down her toys, stood, and walked to you as she took off the sheathe. Janna handed it over to you with a sigh. "Thank you for your compliance," you said as you tightened the strap around your thin waist.

"Told you she'd notice," Sam said and poked Janna in the arm.

"All right, time to go to bed," you said firmly.

"Can we please stay up a little bit longer?" Sam begged with his hands clasped together and his eyes wide.

"No, it's already past your bedtime."

Thor and Loki came to your aid, picking up the children, and setting them on their beds. "It's not fair," Sam complained.

"You get to stay up as late as you want," Janna added.

"I'm going to bed once you two are settled in," you explained, "and I'm exhausted, so I hope that will be soon."

“Tell us a story?” Sam asked.

“I’ve told you all my stories.”

“Sing to us, like you used to,” Janna said, a grin spreading across her face.

“She sings, too?” Loki said with a look of amazement to encourage your siblings.

“Not funny,” you gave him a warning glance then looked back at Sam and Janna. “Why can’t you just go to sleep like Elise and Claire?” you asked and gestured to the toddlers who were asleep in their cribs.

“Your singing is so pretty though,” Janna sighed.

“I think we need to have the healer inspect your ears.”

Both Janna and Sam were begging you to sing by now, and the princes were laughing. “I don’t know any songs,” you said, becoming slightly annoyed.

“What about the one’s our father used to sing to you?” Janna asked.

Your body went rigid at the mention of your father, but you quickly recovered, shaking your head. “Fine,” you said throwing up your hands, “but you’re going to sleep right after.”

You sat on the end of Janna’s bed, trying to recall the words of a short song your father had taught you. Thor and Loki knelt by the beds, staring at you as intensely as your siblings. “Do you two need a lullaby also?” you said sarcastically.

“Well, since we know you’re performing…” Thor mocked with a smile.

You saw Loki smirk out of the corner of your eye. You sighed, and began to sing:

 

I was hidden away

Out of thought and sight

No one would stay

I caused their fright

 

I never let them in

And so they forgot

Neither kith nor kin

Just my hiding spot

 

And then you came

In the dead of night

I thought it a game

But you were willing to fight

 

I tried to push you out

But you held fast

I never once heard you shout

You made your promise last

 

I didn’t know why

It felt so right

You heard my cry

You saved my life

 

The song ended, your voice echoing eerily throughout the room. Your siblings and even the princes stared at you as though in a trance. You reached forward and brushed Janna’s raven hair out of her face. “You’ll sleep now?” you asked, fighting to keep your face from turning red as the princes came out of their daze and stood up.

Janna and Sam both nodded sleepily. You tucked them under the covers and kissed them goodnight. You exited the room, silently closing the door behind you, and turned to the princes. “Now, what do you want?” you said with your arms folded across your chest.

Thor smiled, “We’re going for a late night ride, come with us.”

“I wasn’t lying when I told them I was going to bed, you know,” you said, raising an eyebrow.

“Just come along, it will only be a short while.”

You sighed. You were still exhausted from the trip, but being their secret guardian you had no choice but to go with them. “Should I change into pants?” you asked, gesturing to the dress.

“There’s no time for that, come on!” Thor grabbed you by the arm, pulling you along with Loki striding beside you.

Down in the stable the three of you went to tacking up your horses. You put one foot in the stirrup and pulled yourself up. Normally your feet would have occupied both stirrups, but the skirt of your dress was too tight and restricted this. Instead you rode sidesaddle. Your stallion, Bandit, though large was not as immense as those of the princes’, so when combined with their height the brothers rode high above you.

You rode out of the stables at a walk, picking up a canter once the guards let your group through the gate. You rode up the nearest hill, the cool wind blowing through your hair and ruffling your skirt. The sound of the running horses was nearly muffled by the soft ground and whistling breeze. At the top of the hill you could see the ocean. The moon cast a shimmering refection on the choppy water.

You rode in between the princes downhill, over several more hills and into the forest behind the palace. The bare trees cast eerie shadows over the ground. Your group slowed to a walk. You went deeper into the forest than you had ever traveled. You remained quiet for the most part, but the princes managed to find something to argue about.

You started thinking about what your mother had said earlier. “Remember last time?” said a small voice in your head.

You’d tried so hard to repress that memory for the past two years, but the second the words left your mother’s mouth it bubbled up inside of you and overflowed. You weren’t angry with her, seeing as you’d tried to make it seem like the event had no effect on you, and your mother was just trying to protect you. However, the very thought was like opening up an old wound. You just wished you could forget.

Suddenly you snapped to attention, realizing the arguing had stopped. You looked behind you. You’d noticed Thor had dropped to the back of the group some time ago, but now he was gone. Your heart raced. You turned to Loki, “Where is your brother?”

Loki, confused, turned to look behind the two of you. His eyes widened when he noticed Thor’s absence. “Damn,” he whispered.

Different possibilities raced through your mind. You imagined Thor bloody, beaten and dead at the hands of whoever had made the threat against the princes. “We have to find him,” you said, panicked.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Loki said, “he knows his way back to the palace.”

He turned his attention back to you. When he saw your expression his eyes softened with concern. “Don’t worry, I’ll go find him,” Loki turned his horse around and took off at a gallop.

“Loki, wait!” you called, but he was too far gone to hear you.

Your heart pounded. Both princes were out there, possibly with a killer. You bolted after Loki, but he was nowhere in sight. You came to a stop when you came across a white horse; Thor’s horse. The rider was missing. You commanded Bandit to stay put and jumped to the ground. You cursed, wishing Thor had let you change into pants as you slunk through the forest in your delicate slippers and dress. You unsheathed the knife you had confiscated from Janna as your pulse quickened. You could sense a presence. You pressed your body against a tree, careful to keep your footsteps silent.

“Ah-ha!” you heard a voice say and felt someone grab your waist.

You pinned the man against the tree he had hid behind, holding his arm to the rough bark and pressing your knife against his throat. You gasped only a moment after you’d trapped him. “Thor?” you said in surprise as you released your grip and quickly withdrew your knife.

“Well,” Thor said, his face stricken with shock, “that was an unexpected turn of events.”

“W-what were you doing?”

“Just having a bit of fun,” his warm smile returned and his eyes sparkled.

You on the other hand were still shaken. “Don’t scare me like that!” you said, hardly able to keep your voice calm.

At that moment Loki appeared several feet away. He dismounted his horse and approached you. “It seems you’ve found him,” Loki said with a grin that faded once you turned to face him. “Is everything all right?” Loki asked, looking back and forth between you and Thor, who was also no longer smiling.

“Yes,” you said avoiding both their gazes, “I just overreacted.”

“Rena,” you felt a hand on your shoulder and looked up into Loki’s eyes, “really, is something wrong?”

You almost lost yourself in his dazzling green eyes. You had never looked at them very closely, never realized how handsome they were. You shook your head to get that stupid thought out of your mind. “I was just worried that something awful would happen to either of you,” your voice shook.

“Like what?” Thor asked, taking you hand. “What would happen?”

You bit your lip, remembering that you’d promised to keep the king’s secret. “I…I don’t know, you just disappeared and I was concerned and…” your voice trailed off, but you managed to put on a fake smile as you looked up at the two princes. “I’m sorry; I’m treating you like I would treat Sam and Janna.”

“Do you want to go back to the palace now?” Loki asked with a gentle voice.

You shook your head again. “No, I’m fine now,” you insisted, “I don’t want to ruin everyone’s evening.”

“You won’t. Really, we can go back.”

“I was starting to feel tired anyway,” Thor added.

Loki nodded in agreement. You sighed, “All right, then.”

The three of you rode back to the palace at a gentle walk. The princes both escorted you back to your room as well. You exchanged good-nights and slowly closed the door as they walked away. You didn’t change your clothes, or even crawl under the covers of your bed. You simply collapsed on top of it as the world faded and you entered slumber.

 

You were still living in the palace a few months later. There had still not been an attack on the princes by whoever threatened them. You woke up one morning to a sort of orderly chaos. Servants rushed about making preparations, the chefs worked feverishly at their stations, and the royal family was nowhere to be seen. You discovered that last bit of information when you made your way to the armory and Thor did not meet you for your daily session. From snatches of conversations you heard you managed to piece together that they were getting ready for the same event as everyone else in the palace was.

You wanted to ask Faith what this grand event was, but she must have been preoccupied with the preparations. You would have asked someone else, but everyone was working so frantically that you didn’t want to disturb them.

You discovered what the event was the next day. It was noon and your presence had been requested by the king in the front courtyard. You were to be in full uniform, minus the bow and quiver. You quickly dressed and rushed out into the corridor.

Many servants bustled about, making last minute adjustments. You were swept up in the crowd, stumbling through the corridors until you received an unexpected push from behind. You collided with a tall figure. The person gripped your arm before you fell and hoisted you to your feet. You looked up into radiant, emerald eyes. You and Loki quickly began to sputter out apologies, but soon found yourselves laughing. “No room for error today,” Loki commented, “one misstep and you’ll be trampled to death.”

“What’s the occasion?” you asked as you walked side by side through the corridors. “Everyone has been too busy for me to ask.”

“The guests are arriving for the Nations’ Ball today.”

Loki saw the confused expression on your face and explained what the event was. He told you that there were two Nations’ Balls a year. One took place in the middle of summer, and the other, the one being celebrated now, commenced in the middle of winter. Regardless of whether countries were at war or remained peaceful with each other, the leaders and others ranked highly in society gathered for both parties. The ball was held in a different country every year, and this year the winter and summer balls were to be held in Odin’s kingdom.

“It sounds like a great honor,” you said upon hearing this.

Loki nodded, “It is, that’s why everyone is so anxious.”

You were separated the moment you stepped outside, where a blanket of snow covered the ground, and the air was a frigid blast in your face. Loki was taken to the front of the formation of guards and other royal figures where the rest of his family stood. Thor looked back and waved at you. You gave a small smile in response and quickly found your place in the group.

Soon a large group of carriages passed through the palace gates. One by one they stopped on the path in front of the palace. Regal members of multiple countries poured out of the carriages. The royal family greeted each individual, who was then led into the palace and to their rooms by a servant. You stood with perfect posture, keeping your stare straight ahead of you like the rest of the guards. Occasionally, you found your gaze drifting and surveyed the scene from the corner of your eye. Odin, Frigga, Thor and Loki were greeting another royal family of a married couple, their two daughters, and one son. The foreign prince’s dark golden locks shone in the sunlight. He glanced in your direction, a sly grin on his face. You quickly averted your eyes and did not dare to look back.

You were dismissed when the ceremony had ended. You practiced in the armory for several hours. You figured Thor must have been helping the guests get settled in when he did not meet you for training. You had dinner in your room, curled up in front of the fire with the book you were reading while you ate. When it grew dark, you went downstairs to say goodnight to your family, then returned to your room where you crawled under the covers of your bed and fell asleep.

You awoke to someone knocking on your door. Sunlight streamed through the window across you face. It was probably passed noon. You smiled to yourself, enjoying the fact that working for the king meant you no longer had to rise before the sun did. You stretched and threw the covers off of you, then scurried to answer the door. When you opened it you found Faith and the seamstresses standing before you. They were beaming and practically shaking with excitement. “Faith,” you said with a smile, “what can I do for you?”

The seamstresses shared a knowing glance as Faith began to speak. “You’ve been asked to attend the Nations’ Ball this evening, madam,” she gushed.

You furrowed your brow. “As a guard?” you asked.

Did the king think that the one who threatened his sons would be at the ball? The seamstresses giggled and Faith’s smile grew. She shook her head and held out an envelope to you, “No, madam, as a guest!”


	7. Just One Dance?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's this you've discovered in your room?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't exactly like the dress I pictured, but its pretty darn close. The neckline would be higher and it had long sleeves but the skirt, style, and color is pretty spot on, so for those of you who would like a visual of what you wore to the ball, here you go: 
> 
> http://image.dhgate.com/albu_323091988_00-1.0x0/taffeta-ball-gown-dark-royal-blue-quinceanera.jpg

You stood on the cushioned stool in your dressing room, arms held out and staring in the mirror as the seamstresses worked diligently on your new dress. Faith stood in the corner of your dressing room, watching with a girlish grin on her face. You’d tried to explain to them that you had no interest in attending the ball, but they refused to hear it, saying you would go to the ball if they had to drag you there. “It’s customary that dresses for the winter balls have long sleeves and large skirts” one of the seamstresses, whose name you learned was Dagny, went on excitedly as she measured from your shoulder to your wrist.

“When we make your dress for the summer ball it will be lighter to accommodate for the warm weather,” Frea, the other seamstress, continued as she grinned up at you from where she knelt on the floor to take measurements for the skirt.

“That’s very thoughtful of you,” you smiled in return, “but I wouldn’t expect that I’d be invited again.”

The three women gasped. “Of course you’ll be invited again!” Dagny protested.

You raised an eyebrow and looked at Faith. “Who was it that invited me?” you asked curiously.

Faith shook her head, “I have no idea. Another servant gave me the invitation and said I was to deliver it to you. When I asked for whom I should say the sender was, he told me that they wished to remain anonymous.”

You glanced at the invitation which lay on the surface of the vanity mirror. You had opened the envelope it had come in and read the parchment as Frea and Dagny set up their materials in your dressing room. You did not recognize the penmanship (not surprising since you had no knowledge of what the writing of anyone who could invite you looked like), and it was not signed. The only thing that proved it was an authentic invitation and not forgery was the stamp at the bottom. You went over the list of people who would invite you in your mind. Odin might have, but why would he keep it anonymous? Thor could have wanted you to go, and though it was possible you figured he would have just asked rather than send an unsigned invitation. The thought of the prince who had caught you watching his family being greeted the day before entered your mind. Could this just be some trick he was playing?

You sighed. Whoever sent the invitation must have kept it anonymous for a reason. When the seamstresses finished their measurements you left the room to take a bath while they worked on the dress. You used the same jasmine scented bath oil as the first night you arrived. Faith showed you how much to pour into the bath, the different products for your hair and body, and how much you were supposed to use.

She waited outside while you bathed. When you finished you put on your robe and walked out into the room. Faith had brought up a tray filled with delectable foods. She warned you not to eat too much, since the ball was in just a few hours and there would be food there. You offered some to her in response, but she refused. After some pestering you managed to get her to eat then asked the seamstresses to join you as well. The four of you sat around the hearth. You listened to them talk about the ball while your hair dried by the fire.

When the tray was bare the seamstresses washed their hands thoroughly and went back to their work. Faith did the same and began to get you ready for the ball. She made sure your nails were perfectly manicured and your teeth were polished until they sparkled white. Faith styled your hair next. She added something to your hair to make it glossy and smooth, then brushed through it. Faith made two small braids, one on either side of your forehead, and pulled them around to the back of your head where she tied them together. You smiled, thinking it looked something like a crown. You had braided Janna’s hair occasionally when she asked you to, but your braids usually fell apart by the end of the day. Faith’s looked like they would last for days with no bumps or loose hair sticking out. “Years of practice,” she explained when you asked how she made them so skillfully.

You returned to the dressing room where Dagny and Frea had you put on the dress and step back up on the stool while wearing the matching slippers. Faith went over how you should behave and treat the other members of the ball as the seamstresses made some finishing touches to the dress. “It’s finished!” Dagny proclaimed as she and Frea stepped back to admire their work.

You turned to look in the full length mirror. The dress was a dark teal color, and made of silk. The skirt did not fall freely around your legs due to the petticoat underneath, but was not so large that it might be a hindrance during the ball. It had slight ruffles and a silk belt which was a darker shade than the dress and was held up at your waist on the left by a diamond brooch. Small, sparkling diamonds were sewn to the fitted torso and along the square neckline. The sleeves fit tightly, and the back was high enough to hide the large scar on your back that had formed where the bandit slashed you on your voyage.

You stood gaping at your reflection. The seamstresses gushed. Faith rushed forward and popped something in your mouth before closing it for you. You were about to ask what it was when you recognized it to be a mint spring. When you finished chewing Faith checked your teeth to make sure nothing was stuck between them. Dagny quickly put some perfume on you then stood back with the others to admire you. “You’ll make all the princesses envious!” Frea said excitedly.

You smiled, “I can’t thank you enough.”

The seamstresses had you smile and twirl for them. They gasped as the skirt flared out and your hair fell perfectly into place. Faith quickly snatched up the invitation on the vanity mirror and helped you down from the stool. Outside your room Dagny and Frea told you to enjoy yourself at the ball before returning to their rooms with their materials. Faith strode by your side, her pace rushed. “The ball started about ten minutes ago,” she said frantically as she looked out the corridor window and into the dark night, “but no one will notice a late arrival. Besides, it was worth it with the way you look in your dress.”

You approached the guarded door to the ballroom. The guards looked down at the two of you as you came to a stop in front of them. “I’m sorry,” said one of the guards, “but only those of nobility are permitted to attend the ball.”

Faith pulled out your invitation, waving it in the air. “She was invited by one of their majesties!” she said cheerfully.

The guard carefully inspected the invitation. You bit your lip. Finally he nodded, handed the invitation back to Faith, and began to open the door. Faith squeezed your hand and wished you luck before turning and practically skipping down the corridor. You gulped and stepped into the ball room.

The room was almost composed more of windows than walls. They stretched up to the high ceiling, where a large glass dome was held in the center. Outside the night was pitch-black except for the twinkling stars and the glowing moon. The room was lit up by two large chandeliers that hung on either side of the glass dome. Candle holders were mounted to the cream, golden accented walls in between each window to illuminate the room. The floor matched the wall with white marble tiles and gold borders, though it was difficult to see with all of the guests dancing either in the center or chatting amongst each other off to the side. Along one side of the room was a large buffet table, and at the far end was a full orchestra playing harmonious music.

You nervously stepped through the crowd, unsure of what to do. Suddenly you felt a hand on your shoulder. “Pardon me, madam,” said a deep, familiar voice.

You turned quickly and smiled up at Thor. “Thank goodness you found me,” you said, “otherwise I would have been doomed to wander around aimlessly for the rest of the evening.”

Thor chuckled, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I didn’t either. Someone sent me an invitation.”

“Who?”

“It wasn’t signed.”

A thoughtful look crossed Thor’s face as he pondered this, “Perhaps one of the guests noticed you yesterday and thought it was impossible not to invite you.”

The thought of the prince who had grinned at you the other day crossed your mind again. You shivered. There was something about him that just made your skin crawl. You shrugged, “I don’t know why anyone would invite me.”

“I suppose they were just desperate to have a dance with you,” Thor smiled warmly. “Speaking of which, might I have one before they get a hold of you?”

You began wringing your hands. “Um,” you said, taking a step closer and standing on your toes as Thor bent over for you to whisper in his ear, “I don’t know how to dance.”

Thor stood up straight and you took a step back. He smiled, flashing two rows of white teeth, “Don’t worry, it’s easy. Just follow my lead.”

Thor held out a hand which you took then allowed him to lead you to the dance floor. He took your small, dainty hand in his large, calloused one and placed his other hand on your back. You let your free hand rest on his shoulder as the music changed to a new song. You bit your lip and carefully moved your feet in the same way he did. You stepped on his boots several times. Each time Thor laughed as you frantically apologized. “See? I’m no good at this,” you said when you’d stepped on him a fourth time.

Thor smiled reassuringly, “I don’t mind. Everything was boring until I realized you were here. Aren’t you having a little fun at least?”

“Aside from trying not to stamp on you, I suppose so,” you admitted.

Thor laughed. You continued dancing and talking until the music ended, paused to applaud the musicians, and then continued your conversation as you walked off the dance floor. Suddenly Frigga appeared, placing a hand on Thor’s shoulder. She was about to tell him something when she noticed you. “Oh,” the queen said in shock then smiled at you, “Rena! I’m surprised to see you here.”

“She was invited by a secret admirer,” Thor said with an sly grin.

You laughed, “What he means is someone sent me an anonymous invitation.”

“Well that’s wonderful,” Frigga beamed. “I must barrow my son for a moment, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.”

Thor rolled his eyes when his mother’s back was turned as she pulled him away. You smiled and shook your head. Chairs were set up along the walls. You found three in a row in front of one of the large windows. A girl that seemed to be about your age with dark hair and tan features sat on the one farthest to the right. Her dress was a deep red with golden accents and sheer sleeves and neckline. The girl exchanged smiles with you as you sat down on the far left chair and bowed your head respectfully. “Hello,” she said kindly.

“Hello,” you responded.

“What is your name?” she had a bit of an accent, but her voice was still very similar to that of the people in your country.

“Rena, Your Highness,” you replied.

“My name is Ylva. I did not see you at last year’s ball, where are you from?”

“I’m King Odin’s royal huntress,” you explained.

“You look so beautiful in that dress, I assumed you were a princess!” Ylva gasped. “Did one of the princes or lords ask you to be his court?”

“Oh no, Your Highness,” you said shaking your head, “someone sent me an unsigned invitation.”

“Ah,” the princess nodded. “Oh, and please call me Ylva, I’d rather you did than some of the other guests here.”

You furrowed your brow, “Like who?”

Ylva scooted into the seat next to you, “You see that girl?” she asked and nodded in the young woman’s direction.

Her thin face was framed by long blonde hair that flowed freely down her back and over her shoulders. Her skin and blue eyes were both pale, and she wore a light pink dress over her thin figure. Frigga was beside her as she seemed to be introducing her to Loki. The prince smiled politely at the swooning princess but seemed not to have interest in what she had to say in the least. “That’s princess Adabelle,” Ylva explained, “she’s spoiled beyond belief. Her parents are the king and queen of a country to the north.”

“Is she really that bad?” you asked.

“Oh yes. She’s been in love with that prince Loki for years. She is a year older than me, but still less mature. I remember coming to a Nations’ Ball once when I was fifteen. I left the ballroom because I was feeling ill, and found her out in the corridor whining to her parents because she hadn’t gotten to dance with him yet.”

Your eyes widened in response, and Ylva nodded to assure you it was true. You sat with the princess for some time talking to each other. You found out her parents were the king and queen of a country East of Odin’s kingdom, and the journey there took about two days. You both talked about your lives and Ylva whispered gossip about the other guests to you. Your heart practically stopped when you recognized the face of a man approaching the two of you. “Hello, madam. Hello, Princess Ylva,” the prince that had noticed you the day before addressed you both.

“Prince Ivar,” Ylva narrowed her eyes as she addressed him.

He didn’t seem to notice as he looked you over. You shivered under his gaze. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” Ivar said as a playful smirk appeared on his lips.

“My name is Rena, Your Highness,” you said just loud enough for him to hear.

Ivar seized your hand and planted a kiss on it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rena,” he murmured and released you hand.

Your eyes darted to Ylva, who wore an expression of panic. “May I have this next dance?” the prince asked, his voice low, almost a purr.

“I don’t know how to dance,” you explained.

“I saw you dancing with Prince Thor several minutes ago.”

“He’s a friend of mine and doesn’t mind me stepping on his feet.”

“Well then you can’t be all that bad,” Ivar held out his hand to you. “Just one dance? Come now, don’t refuse a prince.”

He had you. He was a prince, and if a prince asked for a dance it was probably in your best interest to accept. You cautiously took his hand, glancing at Ylva. She looked at you with worry in her eyes. This was very wrong. You didn’t trust this prince one bit. He pulled you onto the dance floor with force. He took your hand as you put the other on his shoulder. Your pulse quickened as you felt his hand slide down your back and stop just above your waist. He pressed you closer to his body and began to sway to the music. All throughout the dance you looked through the crowd, searching for Thor, Ylva, anyone who could help you, but in the sea of guests you saw no one. The prince’s gaze, however, you could feel roaming over you.

Finally the song ended. You eagerly let go, curtsied to the prince, and quickly began to walk off the dance floor. Ivar fell into pursuit. He trailed you all over the ballroom, talking to you. You gave short answers to his questions and tried to lose him in the crowd. Soon he had you cornered between a wall and a swarm of guests. “It’s quite crowded in here,” Ivar said casually, “should we go somewhere more private?”

“Depends on if you want to keep your hand,” you thought silently, considering saying it out loud could get you killed for threatening a prince.

“Uh,” you said, trying to think of an excuse.

“The room I’m staying in is just down the corridor,” an erotic smile appeared on his lips.

Your mind was racing, and your pulse quickened. You searched for an excuse to get out of his trap. Just as Ivar’s hand began to reach for your waist you felt an arm come around your shoulder and grasp your upperarm, squeezing you gently. “Mind if I steal her for a moment?” said a calm but assertive voice.

You looked up to see Loki standing beside you, his eyes locked on Ivar. His expression was composed, though there was an edge of warning in his voice. It had been more of a demand of a threat than a question. Ivar quickly fitted his face with a feigned smile. “By all means,” his said, his voice poisonous.

Loki quickly steered you away and onto the dance floor. He took one of your hands, placing it on his shoulder and holding the other considering you were too shocked to do so yourself. You suddenly came out of your daze. “Thank you,” you said softly.

“Don’t mention it,” Loki responded as his gaze swept over the crowd.

His free hand came to rest high up on your back. Loki looked down, locking eyes with you. “He does the same thing every year,” he explained, “always walks out with someone new.”

“Oh,” was all you could muster.

“Don’t worry,” Loki said, “he’ll be gone tomorrow. If he tries anything before then just tell me or my father.”

You nodded. Just then you stepped on Loki’s foot. You cursed at yourself in your head. “I’m sorry,” you said worriedly, “I never learned how to dance.”

Loki smiled, “It’s all right. I’d much rather you step on my boot than have Ivar drag you off.”

You blushed, “Well, thank you. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you didn’t show up when you did.”

“I’m glad you’re all right.”

You and Loki danced until the song ended. You didn’t let it show, but you were afraid to go off on your own again with the threat of Ivar lurking around the room. Loki sensed your hesitation. “Will you be all right?” he asked.

You nodded, but it wasn’t enough to convince him. “Come with me,” Loki said, holding out his hand.

You took it and followed him through the crowd. Loki led you to a glass doorway that opened up to a terrace which wrapped all the way around the outside of the ballroom. The two of you began walking slowly along the terrace. A light shower of snowflakes danced in the air. You and Loki began a new conversation which led to you talking about the trip you’d taken to Alteh. “Did your necklace break again?” Loki asked when he noticed you weren’t wearing it.

You shook your head, “Dagny and Frea told me it didn’t match my dress.”

Loki gave a small laugh. “Do you have any idea what the symbol means?” he asked. “I think I’ve seen it somewhere before, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I’m not sure. It’s been a part of my father’s family for a long time.”

“How did it come into your family’s possession?”

You smiled to yourself, “My father was a noble before he married my mother. I suppose some ancient relative of mine might have just bought it.”

Loki looked at you curiously, “He was a noble?”

You nodded, “Yes. My mother was a peasant, so no one in his family approved of his decision to marry her. Except my grandmother, that is, so my grandfather forced them both to leave. She had the necklace at the time, so she kept it when she left, and gave it to me when I was fifteen.”

“I never knew that,” Loki said in astonishment.

On the outside you shrugged. On the inside you were cursing at yourself. Why were you telling him all of this? You decided to keep your mouth shut so not to give out any more personal information. A chilly gust of wind hit the both of you. You shivered and crossed your arms over your chest in an attempt to keep warm. “Are you cold?” Loki asked.

“A little,” you said through chattering teeth, “I never did like the cold very much.”

“We can go inside if you would like to,” Loki suggested.

“I like it out here,” you said smiling up at him.

He smirked, “Here.”

Loki put an arm around you. His skin was like ice, but at the same time you felt a warmth flow from him and into you. “Thank you,” you said as your shivering subsided.

You and Loki kept walking until you reached a spot where no one in the ballroom could see you. “So you never learned how to dance?” Loki asked, the cold air making his breath visible as it swirled in front of his mouth.

“My father had said he would teach me one day,” you confessed, “but he never did.”

Music floated out of one of the open doors of the ballroom. The musicians were playing a song with a slow melody. “Thor and I had to go for lessons nearly every day when we were young,” Loki mused. "It was awful."

You laughed softly. Loki removed his arm from your shoulder and stood in front of you. “Here,” he said, holding out a hand to you, “step up on my boots.”

“Oh, no,” you said shyly, “you don’t have to…”

“Might I please have this dance?”

His smile was inviting, and his eyes were so warm. You let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. You took his outstretched hand in yours and positioned the other on his shoulder. Loki softly placed his hand on your back as you stepped up onto his feet. Slowly Loki began to sway in time with the music, holding you close so you wouldn’t fall. Suddenly everything around you was unimportant. It was just you, Loki, and the somber, gentle music.

 

When the song ended you stepped down, and the two of you reentered the ballroom. Almost the second you stepped through the door Frigga had spotted you and was dragging Loki away to speak to another guest. You found Ylva, who was glad that you hadn’t fallen into Ivar’s trap. “I started looking for you when the song ended,” she said.

“Loki found me and got me away from him,” you explained.

You and Ylva talked together for the rest of the evening. Once Thor found the two of you and joined your conversation. You said your goodnights when the guests started returning to their rooms, and went back to your chambers.

You kicked off your slippers immediately after shutting your door. You placed them neatly in your dressing room, where you sat in front of the vanity mirror while taking the braids out of your hair. Without changing you went back out into your room, jumping into bed and picking up the book you were currently reading. It was from the bookshelf in your room. Though you’d already read all of those books and had to move onto the ones from the library, this one was your favorite, so you’d decided to reread it. About an hour later you flipped to the last page, taking in the words hungrily then closing the book. You sighed and hugged it to your chest as you gracefully slid off the bed and crossed the room to the bookshelf.

A cold breeze blew over you. There had always been a strange draft by the bookshelf. You slid the book back in its place, a little harder than you meant to. There was a loud, hollow thud. You arched your eyebrows and inspected the bookcase. You knocked on the wall next to it. It felt and sounded solid. You took three books out of their place crammed next to each other and jammed them back in. The sound seemed to echo. You quickly removed several books from their shelves to make the bookcase lighter, and pushed it to the side, revealing a wooden door.

You grasped the small handle and pushed the door inward. Walls and steps made of stone spiraled upward. You quickly grabbed the holder and lit candle on your bedside table and stepped into the secret passage. The stones were cold on your bare feet as you climbed, holding up your skirt with your free hand so not to trip. You kept your footsteps silent as you ascended the staircase.

Soon you reached the end of the secret staircase where a stone door blocked you path. You set the candle down on one of the steps, far away enough so your skirt wouldn’t catch fire when you turned. You grabbed the handle, slowly and quietly pulling the door open towards you. A long tapestry made of green and golden thread hung in front of you. You lightly gripped it by one side, pulling it away ever so slightly so that a sliver of light poured into the tunnel. You peaked through the slit into the lit room. What you saw would have made you gasp if you weren’t trying to be silent.

The room was large, with marble flooring and a golden chandelier on the ceiling. You noticed a bookcase, perhaps twice the size of yours, stood to the right of the tapestry. A four post bed with a dark green bedspread and canopy was pushed with the dark, wooden headboard against one wall. The wall to your right had a large, dark wooden door which must have connected the room to the rest of the palace. A window jutted outward above a cushioned bench on the opposite wall. There was a door on both walls on either side of the window. They were both closed, but you assumed they lead to a bathroom and dressing room. The wall with the tapestry that hid you was made of gray stone. The other three walls were made of dark wood, except for a thick column of stone that rose upward on the wall across from you. At the base of the stone column was a fireplace. The fire blazed, illuminating the furniture in front of it. Two large chairs sat on either side of couch, all with dark green, velvet cushions, and a low, dark wooden table sat in front of them.

Sitting in one of the chairs with his feet up on the table and a book held in his lap was Loki. With his attention held on the book and the crackle of the fire he hadn’t heard or seen you. You slowly let the tapestry fall back into place so not to catch his eye. You noiselessly closed the stone door, turned around, and picked up your candle. You fled back down the steps and to your room. You put out and set down the candle, shut the hidden door and pushed the bookcase back in front of it, placing the books back on their shelves. You cupped your elbows in your hands, took several steps back and stood staring at the bookshelf. A chill ran up your spine.

Another secret to add to your collection.


	8. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki helps you make a discovery about you and your past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are just frickin' amazing! Hope you like this chapter.

Winter turned to spring. Both princes had become even better friends to you than you’d ever thought possible. You and Ylva kept in touch by sending each other letters. Life seemed even better for your mother since the night of the Nations’ Ball that last winter. One of the Lords who resided in that same kingdom, a widower, was exhausted from the party, and decided to return to his room. On his way there he and your mother crossed paths. They’d been courting ever since.

One morning you and the princes had determined to go for a ride through the forest. You dressed in a shirt and pants, slipped on your boots and met them in the stables. You rode through the forest, the paths now familiar to you after leading the king’s hunting parties and going out for rides with Thor and Loki.

The princes rode their horses at a trot. You followed them through the forest, and after many miles could no longer recognize where you were. The princes rode their horses into a clearing, and came to a stop. You rode up beside them and stopped your horse. In front of you lay a large pond. At the far end immense rocks sat half in the water and half on the grass. Flowers bloomed brilliant, vibrant shades and the sun created sparkles on the clear, shimmering water. The princes dismounted their horses, and you did the same. “What do you think?” Loki asked.

“It’s beautiful,” you said in amazement.

“We found it when we were younger,” Thor stated.

The princes approached the water, taking off their shirts and boots, cast them aside and dove into the water. You took off your boots, and sat on one of the large rocks, dipping your feet into the cool water. You watched the princes as they splashed each other, and dove below the surface before coming back up for air. The sun was warm and the new, green leaves on the tree branches shook in the slight breeze. Soon you were lost in your thoughts, looking down as the water lapped at your feet. You weren’t sure how much time had passed when you felt something cold and wet press against you. You felt strong arms slide around your back and under your legs. Thor hoisted you into the air. “Up for a swim, Rena?” he joked with a smile spread across his face.

“Wait!” you said in a panic.

It was too late. Thor had just released his grip on you, easily tossing you through the air towards the center of the pond. “I can’t swim!” you got the words out just before the water touched your body and engulfed you.

You reached for the surface, able to break it just once, splashing as you took a short breath then sunk back down. You reached out in the darkness, but grasped nothing. Your movements were slowed by the water. Your lungs cried out for air as you fell deeper and deeper towards the bottom. You struggled to rise up but only kept sinking. Your vision blurred, and your eyelids started to droop. A shape appeared in the darkness, coming closer to you. Loki swam through the water towards you, his eyes locked on you. He gripped your arm and pulled you towards him, pressing his lips to yours. At first you were confused, but then you realized he was forcing air into your lungs. You were able to open your eyes as he hugged you close to his body and pulled you upwards. You gasped, taking in a deep breath of air as you broke the surface. Loki held you above the water as he swam for the shore. Thor’s head came out of the water where he had been searching for you. He saw Loki holding you and quickly swam in the same direction to the water’s edge.

Loki slid one arm under your legs and the other around your shoulders. You frantically wrapped your arms around his neck, shivering as he carried you out of the water. Loki gently sat you down on the grass, kneeling next to you with his hand on your back as you coughed up water. Your hair was plastered to your head, and water dripped off your chin. “Rena!” Thor rushed toward you and knelt by your other side. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea…”

“It’s all right,” you sputtered, “you didn’t know. It wasn’t your fault.”

You shook violently as the princes stared at you, their eyes filled with worry. You tried to break the tension. “I’m twenty years old, you’d have thought I would have learned to swim by now,” you laughed.

Thor shook his head, “I shouldn’t have just assumed.”

When you had calmed down, the princes asked if you wanted to return to the palace. You asked if instead they could teach you to swim. You started in the shallow end of the pond, slowly making your way to the deeper end as Thor and Loki taught you different strokes. By late afternoon you were treading water in the center of the pond. As the afternoon faded the three of you laid on the shore, letting the rays of sunlight dry you. The sky was tinged with crimson as the sun began to dip behind the mountains. You were all dry by that time and got back on your horses to head back to the palace. You weren’t even half way back when the princes had started an argument. “I won that race, do not deny it,” Thor claimed.

“I recall that event rather differently,” Loki’s words were calm compared to the intensity in his brother’s voice.

“Don’t lie, brother. Do we need to settle this with a rematch?”

“If it’s the only way to shut you up, then I suppose so.”

“Very well then, let’s start now,” Thor cast a glance in your direction. “First one back to the palace wins the fair Rena.”

“I beg your pardon?” you began to object.

Before the whole sentence had left your mouth, Thor interrupted. “Go!” he cried and took off, his horse galloping in the direction of the palace.

You turned your gaze on Loki. He merely shrugged and raced after Thor. You gave a frustrated sigh, and chased after them. The princes had too much of a lead for you to catch up, or even see them as you flew through the woods. “Have their highnesses returned?” you asked one of the guards as you passed through the gates of the palace.

He chuckled, “You just missed them, madam. They were heading towards the stables.”

You thanked the guard, dismounted Bandit, and led him towards the stables. The large doors had been left open, swinging in the breeze. You heard two voices inside. One was angry while the other was cool and collected. You stepped through the entrance to find the princes in the midst of a heated argument. Thor’s face was distorted by his rage while Loki wore a smirk. Thor turned and upon seeing you stormed out one of the other exits. “Did I do something to anger him?” you asked Loki as you removed Bandit’s reigns.

The prince chuckled as you untacked your horse, “Not at all. He’s just a bit aggravated.”

“At what?”

Loki stared at the door his brother had exited through, “I won.”

 

You paced the floor of your room. Though you had tried to shrug it off, you were still a bit shaken at how you’d nearly drowned earlier that day. You knew this experience would spark a new nightmare, and you were afraid. You shook your head. “You’re being ridiculous,” the voice in your head stated as you looked towards the bed.

You had bathed and were dressed in a simple nightgown. You were ready to go to bed, but something stopped you. “It’s just a dream,” the imaginary voice snapped.

You glanced at your bookshelf. You thought of the concealed door, biting you lip. It was practically calling to you. Against all better judgment, and the voice in your head, you started to remove several books. “You’re insane!” the voice hissed.

You pushed the bookcase aside, and stared wide-eyed at the wooden door. You inhaled, holding your breath as you slowly opened the door. You took a tentative step onto the cold stone, holding out a hand to touch the wall as you ascended. Finally you reached the stone door. You reached out a hand to touch it, recoiling at first, but then laying your fingertips against the cool, smooth handle. You pulled the door towards you, revealing the back of the tapestry that hid it. You carefully pulled aside the fabric, just enough so that half of your face was exposed. “So you’ve found it,” you jumped when you heard the voice.

Loki stood leaning against the mantel of his fireplace with a book in his hand. You cursed silently and pulled the tapestry away completely. Loki set the book down on the nearby table and turned his gaze to you. 

“Why is this here?” you asked quietly as you shyly turned away your gaze and gestured to the entrance.

“It’s a sad story, really,” Loki sighed. “Many years ago, when the palace was built, this room belonged to a prince who was heir to the throne. Your room was that of a more valued servant. The prince loved her, but he was required to marry someone of nobility. He had the one in charge of the palace’s construction build the passage in secret so he could visit the woman. He did so every day until he married.”

“Oh,” you said softly, “that is sad.”

“I suppose not every tale can have joyful ending."

Silence filled the room. “What happened to the servant?” you asked.

“The prince made sure she was well cared for until he died,” Loki answered. “I have no idea what became of her afterwards, but I assume she would have carried out her duties until her death.”

“How do you know this?”

Loki smirked, “I found the king’s diary hidden behind one of the stones in that wall when I was a boy. After reading it I was able to find the staircase.”

You bit your lip, “Is that how you got into my room when we returned from the voyage to Alteh?”

“Smart girl,” Loki chuckled, then paused, his face becoming serious. “Do you still have nightmares?

“I’ve had them every night since I was young.”

“Every night?” Loki repeated. “That’s terrible.”

You shrugged, “I’ve gotten used to it now. I rarely wake up screaming like I did that night.”

“What do you see in these nightmares?”

You shifted uncomfortably, “Things I’m not proud of.”

“Let me help you,” Loki said, stepping forward.

You lifted your head, surprised, “What? How?”

“I’ll wake you up when you’re having a nightmare.”

“That won’t be necessary. You don’t have to trouble yourself for me.”

“I want to. You saved my life the night we were attacked on the ship. This would be the least I could do to repay you.”

You felt your lips turn up slightly in a smile, “I’m sure you would have managed just fine without me.”

“I doubt that, and I’d still want to help you if that was true.”

You swallowed, and took a deep breath.

 

You raced through a forest, not the one behind the palace, but the woods you’d hunted in near your village for many years. You were wearing an elegant ball gown and slippers that caused you to trip occasionally. Through the trees you could see flashes of color and hear horses running. A white horse carried a rider with red and steel armor, and black steed was ridden by a man wearing black, green, and gold. You heard Thor and Loki laughing as though to taunt you as they rode past. Suddenly you heard them both screaming. You fell to your knees at the edge of a large pond. The water was swirling red. You fell into the churning water, sinking through the blood until you felt a hand grabbing you and pulling you back upwards. When you broke the surface of the pond, you were face to face with Ivar. He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer.

Your eyes flew open as someone gently said your name and gripped your shoulder. You looked up at Loki, his face outlined by the glow of the moon that shown through the window behind him. You were in your room, asleep in your bed. Loki had moved one of the chairs next to the bed, and had been sleeping in it all night. This was not the first time he’d had to wake you. “Are you all right?” Loki asked.

You nodded and thanked him. Loki relaxed, and sat back. He shifted his position uncomfortably. He was much too tall for the chair. “Loki, this is ridiculous,” you sat up and protested. “Please, just go back to your room and get some sleep. I don’t care about the nightmares.”

Loki turned to look at you, “I can sleep just fine here.”

“I highly doubt that.”

You sighed. It was obvious Loki wasn’t going anywhere. You sat in silence for a moment, then bit your lip nervously. “Loki,” you exhaled.

He turned to you again. You clenched your fists, trying to find the words to describe what you wanted to tell him. “I…I can’t imagine that chair is very comfortable,” you started.

“The chair feels fine,” Loki tried to convince you.

“Well, I’m sure you’re lying about that, and,” you gulped, “look, the bed is big enough for two.”

You nervously clutched the sheets and felt your cheeks burning. You didn’t dare look at Loki’s face to see his expression. “I,” he cleared his throat, “I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

You shook your head, “It doesn’t mean anything, and it’s a large bed.”

“You trust me?”

You looked up at Loki, confused. He’d given you no reason to distrust him. “Of course,” you said.

Loki stood up slowly. You scooted over to one side as he pushed the chair away, and sat on the edge of the bed. Loki removed his boots, then lied down on the bed on top of the blankets. You sighed and turned the other way so your back was facing him. It was strange, but you felt as though with Loki right beside you the nightmares wouldn’t come again.

In the morning Loki waited until he was sure you were fully awake to get out of the bed. You sat up as he pulled on his second boot. Loki turned to look at you. “Would you care to join me for a walk?” he asked.

You nodded and went to your dressing room to change while Loki waited in your room. He’d slept in the clothes he’d worn the day before. When you were ready to leave you stuck your head out the door to make sure no one was roaming the corridors. You could only imagine the vulgar rumors that would spread if anyone saw you and the prince leaving your bedroom together in the morning.

You followed Loki through the palace and down to the garden. You admired the beautiful flowers that lined the stone walkway as the sun slowly made its assent into the sky. As the two of you walked side by side the only sound was from the water streaming in the fountains. “I feel like I’m in one of the books I’ve read when I’m out here,” you mentioned.

“You read an awful lot,” Loki responded, smiling.

“Is that a bad thing?” you asked.

Loki shook his head, “Of course not; I think it’s fascinating. You’re the smartest person I know.”

You smiled and looked at the ground, “I doubt that, I didn’t grow up with tutors like the people you know.”

“Tudors don’t necessarily make people smart, and I’m certain you still have more intelligence than all those people put together.”

You laughed softly, “I was fortunate. I had a better education than most of the people in my village.”

“How so?”

“Well, I told you my father was a noble. He had a better education, and taught me everything he had learned when he was young. He taught me everything he knew by the time I was ten.”

“Ten?” Loki said in astonishment. “How did you manage that?”

“I have a,” you struggled to find the word you wanted, “different kind of memory. I remember everything that I’ve ever seen or heard, so my father didn’t have to waste time repeating things for me to learn.”

Loki chuckled, “That explains how you learned to swim and best Thor in combat so quickly.”

“I suppose so,” you laughed.

“Where is your father now, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Your face fell. You turned away so Loki couldn’t see it, “He became a solider when I turned eleven. He was killed shortly after.”

“I’m so sorry,” Loki said gently.

You clenched your fists, “He wanted to leave.”

“Why?”

You took a deep breath, “Marcus was always sick, but he got worse soon after my father finished teaching me. It was certain he would never be able to support us, and I was the next oldest child. He never said it out loud, but I knew my father was angry that he didn’t have a son to take over for him. He started treating me differently. He was just looking for a reason to hate me. He took up drinking, and tried to hit my mother one night when he was drunk. He was aiming for her stomach, and she was pregnant with Sam. I happened to be there, and jumped in his way,” you pulled your hair away to reveal a scar on your temple. “It’s how I got this.”

Loki stared intensely at the long, jagged mark, his eyes filled with horror. You let your hair fall back into place, “Anyway, he used that as his excuse. He said I defied him.”

“That’s,” Loki struggled to voice his words, “that’s awful.”

“I think it’s ironic, he’s the only one that wanted me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Marcus told me the story. He didn’t intend to hurt me; we were both too young to realize what it meant, but he said that before I was born my parents fought about having another child. My mother argued that they couldn’t afford one, but my father didn’t care. He forced her to have me.”

“Rena, your mother loves you.”

“She might now, but I feel like I was just a burden when I was young."

“That’s not true.”

There was a pause. You gazed out over the garden until you heard Loki’s voice again. “Did your mother ever remarry?" he asked.

You turned to face him, confusion written on your face. "You said your father passed when you were eleven, so that was nine years ago. Elise and Claire are only two, so I just assumed..." Loki's voice trailed off.

You bit your lip, "She didn't."

Though he was too polite to ask, you saw the confused look on Loki's face and continued. "She went to another town to buy supplies our village was running low on. The journey was supposed to take several days, but she was taking longer than we anticipated. I traded with a neighbor and they let me use their horse to get to the town," you took a shaky breath. "I found her in an ally, beaten so she couldn't even stand. She told me that a group of men had..."

You couldn't finish the sentence. You exhaled, "I love Claire and Elise, but I should have been there for her. I should have protected my mother.”

Loki pulled you into an embrace. “Stop blaming yourself,” he whispered into your hair. “Don’t think you’re responsible for things you have no control over."

“But I could have protected her,” you squeezed your eyes shut. “I, if I had just gone hunting more my family would have had enough food. They wouldn’t have needed me and I could have gone…”

“You were doing what you thought was right,” Loki stopped you.

You pulled out of the embrace. “I…” you started.

Loki’s expression was enough to silence you. “Do you know what your name means?” Loki asked as you continued walking down the path.

You shook your head. “It means joy,” Loki smiled. “Your mother wouldn’t have given you such a name if you weren’t deserving of it.”

You felt your lips turn up in a small grin. “What about you?” you asked. “What does your name mean?”

Loki’s face fell as he stared at the ground. “It means destruction,” he said flatly.

There was a moment of quiet, but you broke the silence. “I like your name,” you blurted. “It sounds nice.”

A smile found its way onto the prince’s lips. “Well, if you like it, than that compensates for its meaning,” he chuckled.

Loki pressed his lips together, and furrowed his brow. "Rena,” he said softly, “do you believe in magic?”

“The kind told of in children’s bedtime stories?” you asked, smirking.

“Not exactly.”

“No, I never really did believe in those stories.”

“Really?"

“Well, they’re all just myths."

“So, you think it’s all made up?”

You faced Loki, but before you could respond he vanished. You blinked in surprise. “Do you believe now?” a voice whispered in your ear.

You gasped and whirled to face Loki. “How did you do that?” you demanded.

Loki smirked. “No,” you shook your head, “that’s not possible. Really, how did you do that?”

“It’s all real,” he said, “those myths and legends.”

You remained silent, completely in shock. “This is what I wanted to talk about today," Loki explained. "The secret doors in our rooms; the prince wanted them to remain hidden, so he had a magic wielder put a spell on them. Only those who possessed these abilities could find them."

You opened your mouth to say something, but could not form the words. "I finally figured out where I’d seen that symbol on your necklace before,” Loki continued.

You gripped the pendant that was strung around your neck. It was cool and smooth in your hand. “I found it in a spell book,” Loki murmured. “Only people who could control such abilities were allowed to have artifacts such as that back then.”

“So, that means...” you breathed.

“Your ancestors had these skills,” Loki finished for you, “and I believe they passed them down to you."

You stepped back, collapsing on a stone bench. “It would explain your memory,” Loki pointed out. “If you would like, I could teach you to use these abilities.”

You looked up, and stood to face Loki. You clenched your jaw and took a deep breath, “I would like to learn, please.”


	9. Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What have you done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter this week. Thanks for all the support you guys have given to this story, it really means a lot to me.

The pattern continued for several weeks. Every night Loki would teach you a new magic trick, and protect you from your nightmares. Some evenings he would come down the secret passage to your room, and others you would make the trip up to his. One night you were both sitting on Loki’s bed in his chambers. You both sat with your legs crossed, Loki with his back to the headboard and you across from him. Loki held a round piece of smooth glass that he had removed from his pocket. “It’s quite simple,” he said, “just take any piece of glass, or some reflective surface, think of the person you want to see, and touch it.”

Loki swiped his thumb across the glass. You leaned in to see an image of yourself from another angel in the room. Loki traced his finger across the glass again, and the image disappeared. “Try it,” he said holding the glass out to you.

You pressed your lips together and concentrated. You touched your index finger to the glass. The surface seemed to ripple, then an image appeared. Janna and Sam were in the pantry of the kitchen. You could hear the muffled sound of cooks and servants bustling about outside the closed door of the room. Janna hoisted up Sam, who pried open a cabinet and grabbed a handful of sweets from inside. You gasped and Loki tossed his head back as he laughed. You quickly waved a finger over the glass, and the picture of your siblings committing thievery dissipated. “I’d better go stop them,” you said as you set down the glass and moved to get off the bed.

“No, don’t,” Loki said, gently grabbing your arm, “they’re fine.”

“They’ll get in trouble.”

“I’ll tell the servants to leave them alone if they get caught.”

You relaxed and sat back down. The only noise came from the popping fire in the hearth. Loki set the piece of glass on the bedside table. “Have you ever been in love, Rena?” Loki asked with his face turned away from you.

The question caught you off guard, but you still had an answer. “No,” you said, “but I almost got married once.”

Loki raised an eyebrow, “How did that happen if you’ve never been in love?”

“Simple. He was rich and my family was starving. I convinced them that I loved him so they wouldn’t think I was just marrying him for their benefit.”

“Why did the wedding get called off?”

You sighed, “He asked me to come visit him one night, and while I was there he tried to kiss me. I’m not much of an actor, and I didn’t love him one bit, so I refused to let him. He got angry and choked me. I tried to hide the marks, but my mother saw them when I got home and called off the wedding immediately.”

“You didn’t try to protect yourself?” Loki asked with pity and sorrow in his eyes. “You’re so brave; you of all people would have fought back.”

“I didn’t want him to get angrier at me and stop the wedding. I thought my family would starve if I didn’t marry him,” you laughed when you finished speaking to lighten the mood. “I won in the end anyway. I never had to kiss him.”

“Well, that’s his loss.”

You quickly changed the topic, “What about you? Who’s the lucky girl?”

“I did love someone once,” Loki’s eyes were suddenly alight with hatred as he spoke, “but Thor thought it would be funny to have me walk in on the two of them in bed.”

“Oh, Loki,” you took his hand, holding it gently as you spoke, “that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

“Thor isn’t.”

“I hope you two can make amends.”

“I can barely handle one sibling, how do you manage five?”

“If they were unkind to me they starved,” you laughed. “But we do love each other. We’re all we had, especially after my father left.”

You noticed that Loki had absentmindedly started stroking his thumb back and forth across the knuckle of the hand you’d held his with. “I think Thor helped you in a way,” you sighed.

“How did his actions help me?” Loki asked sarcastically.

“Any girl who is stupid enough to do that to you is not worth your time.”

Loki smirked. For some reason you felt yourself blushing. Your eyes traveled to the piece of glass on the table. When Loki had demonstrated how to use it by having your image appear, the same, strange feeling you’d had in Alteh and on your second night in the palace had come over you. “Loki,” you breathed, “do you always keep that glass with you?”

Loki followed your gaze to the glass piece on the bedside table, “It comes in handy when your know how to use it."

You struggled to form the words, “Have you ever used that spell on me?”

Loki let go of your hand and averted his gaze. His face displayed shame. You were awestruck that you, a simple peasant girl, could make a prince feel ashamed of himself. “Loki, I’m not angry with you,” you coaxed, “I won’t tell anyone, I just want the truth.”

“Yes, yes I have,” Loki could not meet your eyes, “but I never did it to be indecent, and you were too smart for me. You caught me both times.”

You felt your cheeks turning pink as Loki finally looked up at you. His expression was a mix of fear that he'd hurt you and amazement at what you were capable of. “You’re the only person I ever used that spell on who was able to tell when I was watching," Loki explained. "You amaze me. You’re so smart, Rena, and courageous and kind and beautiful and wonderful in every way.”

Your mouth hung open in your surprise. Even Loki was taken aback by his outburst. You suddenly noticed how close the two of you were. Loki’s knees were touching yours as you sat across from each other. You were so close you hadn’t even noticed that part of the skirt of your dress had been accidentally pinned under one of his legs. You closed your mouth. It was as though the rest of reality did not exist.

You were still thinking of how to respond when Loki closed the distance between you. He cupped the back of your head in one of his hands and leaned forward, pressing his lips to yours. Your eyes went wide with shock, but then the most peculiar thing happened; you kissed him back. Your eyes closed as Loki fell backwards and pulled you on top of him. He tangled his hand in your hair and placed the other on the small of your back, pressing your closer to him. You straddled Loki, your bare feet sliding against the silk sheets of the bed. Your heart raced. You had one hand pressed against his chest, gripping the fabric of his tunic. You wrapped your other hand around his bicep. You could feel Loki’s hands as they roamed your sides and back. His strong arms wrapped around you. His lips were so soft as they brushed against yours. You lazily opened your eyes just slightly. You saw Loki’s face as he kissed you. You heard a small voice in the back of your head. “What are you doing?” the voice was faint and far away.

Loki shifted to the side slightly. You ignored the voice and continued kissing him, which the voice did not like. “What are you doing!?” it screamed.

Your eyes flew open. You pulled away, breaking the kiss and jerking out of his grip as you sat up on Loki’s stomach. He stared up at you, his face mirroring your shock and his chest quickly rising and falling. Your cheeks burned red. You quickly turned away, jumping off of Loki and the bed. “I’m sorry,” you said firmly as you picked your shoes up off the ground and headed for the secret passage, not looking back at Loki.

“Rena,” he called after you.

“I’m sorry,” you said more loudly and fled into the passage, banging the door shut behind you.

You sprinted down the steps of the secret staircase and burst into your room. You slammed the hidden door shut, and pushed your bookcase in the way of it. You jumped onto your bed and sat hugging your knees to your chest. You shuttered as you felt tears streaming down your face. If Loki were to tell anyone about what had just happened, you could lose everything. The princes were required to marry someone of nobility, and kissing someone born into poverty who worked for their father would in no way help that matter. What would Odin and Frigga think? What would your family think? What would happen if anyone found out? But that wasn’t what scared you the most. What made you desperately and truly afraid was that you had liked it.


	10. Wanting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why can't anything ever be easy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was looking over this entire story. I've written a little more than this, and currently it's over seventy pages. The only thing I could think was, "Why can't I put this much effort into my school work?"
> 
> Haha! Thanks for fifty kudos! I never imagined this story would get so far. :)

A week had passed, and, as far as you knew, no one had learned of the kiss. Loki did not meet you for your usual magic lessons, or to wake you up from your nightmares. In fact, you had not seen him at all since the night you had kissed. Part of that was probably because of you. You were careful not to run into him in the corridors, you ate your meals in your room, and you avoided the library altogether, knowing he could usually be found there. You had sent a letter explaining what had happened to Ylva. You knew she could keep your secret, and were desperate for advice. You realized you would have to face Loki sooner or later. One day, to clear your head, you decided to go down to the armory earlier than usual. You dressed in pants, a tunic, and boots. You tied your hair up to keep it out of your face then began to navigate the corridors, careful not to accidentally bump into a certain prince.

You opened the door to the armory and found Thor inside, shirtless and sweaty as he beat on one of the training dolls. His blond hair was tied back, and beads of sweat trickled down his muscular arms and torso. Thor looked up from the doll when he heard you shut the door. You nodded to him. Thor ignored you and went back to his training. Since Loki had begun teaching you to use your abilities you hadn’t been coming to the armory as often, and you knew Thor was angry with you because of it. You picked up as set of knives from the weapons rack and walked to the other side of the room where targets were set up. You started throwing the knives, hitting the center or at least near it each time.

You had thrown each knife at least three times. You were about to walk to the target to retrieve them when Thor spoke. “Have I done something wrong?” he asked, his breathing labored and his back facing you.

You froze, “Of course not, what are you talking about?”

Thor turned to face you with anger in his eyes, “Was I unkind to you? Am I unworthy?”

“Thor, I have no idea what you mean.”

“You know exactly what I mean!” he boomed.

A chill went down your spine. You flinched and began to cringe defensively, taking slow steps away from Thor as he advanced towards you. You might have been strong for someone of your stature and rather nimble, but you were no match for him when weaponless. His muscles seemed to ripple as he came closer, backing you against a wall. “Thor,” you said with a trembling voice, “please, stop this. You’re scaring me.”

“Scaring you?” he bellowed. “Is that why you avoid me now? Why you spend all your time with him?”

“I…I don’t,” your back hit the wall of the room, and you could do nothing but try to shrink away into nothing as Thor got closer.

“Loki,” Thor hissed the name, “he’s nothing. He’s as evil as them come!”

Thor placed his hands against the wall on either side of you, preventing escape. You shook and let out a soft whimper. “Why, Rena?” Thor demanded. “Why did you pick him? I was good to you! I love you! He doesn’t!”

“Thor, please!” you cried.

Suddenly Thor grabbed your arms, pinned them down by your waist, and kissed you. You squirmed in a vain attempt to escape as his lips muffled your shrieks. You tried to kick him off you but that only provoked Thor to restrain your legs against the wall with his. You twisted but he held on to you firmly. A tear slid down your cheek. You heard the door creak open but could not see passed Thor, who ignored the noise. Your heart sank. It was probably a servant. They wouldn’t dare to try defending you against Thor. They might even think you were enjoying this. Between that and if word of your kiss with Loki ever got out you could only imagine the rumors that would spread of you being the whore of the palace. Astonishingly, whoever had just entered yelled at Thor. He let go of you and whirled to face whoever had challenged his actions. Overwhelmed, you sank to the floor, shamefully covering your face with your hands. You heard Thor and the other voice yelling furiously at each other. Soon you heard thunderous footsteps heading away from you, and the door slamming shut. Your body was wracked with sobs. Lighter steps approached you. “Rena?” Loki’s calm voice filled your ears.

You didn’t look up, too mortified to face him and hoping he would leave. You felt Loki’s arms slide around your shoulders and under your legs as he lifted you into the air. Your body shook and you refused to uncover your face as he carried you to his room.

Loki carefully held you as he shut the door to his chambers, and then set you down on his bed. He stepped back as you slowly began to come out of the ball you had crunched your body into. You stared down at the silky emerald sheets, unable to meet his gaze. “Thank you,” you whispered.

“I apologize on my brother’s behalf,” Loki said gently.

You wiped the last tear from your face, hoping Loki hadn’t seen the small droplets. Silence hung in the room like a fog until Loki spoke. “I made sure no one saw you when I brought you here,” he assured you.

You were able to lift your head to look at him, “Thank you, Loki.”

Now so long as Thor could keep his mouth shut no one would find out about this whole mess. Loki tentatively sat on the edge of the bed, afraid that if he got closer you might back away. You stayed where you were; the only movement you made was to let your hair down. It framed your face and gently brushed your shoulders. “What did he do?” Loki asked.

You shuddered at the thought of the event. “You can tell me,” Loki said, concerned, “I want to help you.”

“He said he loves me,” you whispered.

The large room was eerily silent and the only light faintly shown through the drawn curtains of the large windows. You drew in a breath, “I’m so sorry, Loki. I never wanted to hurt anyone, especially not you or your brother, but I did.”

“No, you did not,” Loki quickly moved towards you, wrapping his arms around you.

You buried your face in his chest. He smelled of leather and mint and old books. It was comforting, as though you’d always belonged there. “What my brother did to you was wrong,” Loki said firmly, “and so was what I did. You can’t be forced to love anyone.”

Loki pulled away just enough so you could face him. “I never wanted to fall in love,” you admitted. “I knew I would just get hurt in the end.”

“That’s not true.”

“It’s what happened to my mother and my grandmother.”

“Please, Rena, don’t put walls up around yourself. You deserve to be happy.”

You bit your lip, “You and Thor are supposed to marry someone of nobility. If your parents find out about this…”

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Loki locked the gaze of his deep, emerald eyes with yours, “I promise.”

“Wouldn’t I end up like the servant that the king fell in love with?”

“Rena,” Loki breathed, “I would never let that happen.”

Since it was only midday, Loki had you stay in his room until nightfall. You sat together by the unlit hearth as your read novels from his bookcase. Loki had supper brought up to the room by a servant. He only left the room once when the time had come to go to bed. Loki insisted you stay put while he took the secret passage down to your room and retrieved a nightgown from your dressing room. You changed in the bathroom while Loki put on his nightclothes in his dressing room. You were lying in his bed with the blankets wrapped around you. Your back was facing the door Loki came out of. You remained motionless as he slid under the covers next to you. You both lied unnaturally still; hoping that by some miracle sleep would find you. “Rena?” Loki said softly.

“Yes?” you asked, the volume of your voice matching his.

“What is it you want?” his tone was not sarcastic but instead curious.

You rolled onto your other side to face him, propping your head up on your fist, “I’m not sure I understand the question.”

“Forget about what Thor wants or your family, what do you want for yourself?”

“I don’t really know,” you sighed. “What do you want?”

Loki swallowed. He was lying on his back, his face turned towards the ceiling. “I want you to be happy,” he breathed.

You bit your lip, not knowing how to reply. For a mere second, you thought about leaning forward and kissing him. Not the way the two of you had kissed before, but just maybe a quick kiss on the cheek, something that could happen between friends without being romantic. You decided against it, afraid he could get the wrong idea. Your thoughts trailed back to the night you and Loki had kissed. “It was my first kiss,” you thought.

“Rena?” you flinched as Loki’s voice called you back to reality.

“Yes?” you stammered.

Loki’s face was turned towards you now, his lips just barely forming a smile. “You look so concentrated when you think,” he said lightly.

You blushed, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude.”

“You weren’t, it’s just something I noticed.”

You felt a small smile creep onto your lips, “Thank you, Loki, it’s very sweet of you to want that for me.”

“You’ve earned it,” Loki said, “you’ve been so selfless that the least you deserve is happiness.”

“Thank you. I hope you find happiness, too,” you lied back down, your body slightly less tense.

You woke up in the middle of the night. Not fully aware of your surroundings, you tried to reposition yourself. Something was restricting you from moving. You let your eyes adjust to the darkness and looked down at your body. You were lying on your side, facing Loki as his arms wrapped around you. His eyes were shut and he breathed steadily as he slept. You thought nothing of it at first, assuming he must have done this unintentionally in his state of unconsciousness, but then he whispered, “Rena.”

The way he said your name, so breathlessly and full of longing made you certain that Thor had been wrong. Loki wanted you to be happy, and he would put his own happiness aside for that, but he still loved you. You were immediately thankful you hadn’t kissed him earlier. You didn’t want to give him hopes that would go unfulfilled. A voice you had never heard before, quiet and gentle, spoke up in your mind, “But what if I love him back?”

The voice that always told you right from wrong swooped in, silencing the other opinion by telling you not to be ridiculous and that love was a childish notion that would only end in your downfall. You sighed, feeling completely alone except for the beating of Loki’s heart as he held you close to him. It went against everything you’d ever told yourself, but you pressed yourself closer to him, and tucked your head under his chin. In that moment you felt a sense of belonging and safety. And was it really all that bad to feel that way for just one night?


	11. Finding Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have to make a choice, but is there an option where no one gets hurt?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited! I love writing this and I hope if you've made it to this point you are enjoying reading it. Thanks for all the kudos and wonderful comments. :)

The sun was sinking behind the mountains that overlooked the palace. The sphere of light set the sky ablaze with brilliant oranges and soft pinks. You were outside on your balcony. You had been there for at least an hour, simply watching the day come to an end. You had climbed over the stone, quartz railing, sitting on the rail while gripping it with both hands and your heels on the small ledge that protruded to keep from falling to the garden three stories below. It was only two days after Thor had kissed you, though the king had had several guests visiting for the week. Considering it was their last day at the palace, the group had decided to go hunting to relax after the week of business. You led the party, which consisted of the king, his guests, and the princes. You and Thor had avoided making eye contact, and Loki, while cautious with his brother being around you, had given you the space you had needed. You had bathed when you returned to the palace, and put on a fresh uniform to see off the guests when they left in their glimmering carriages. You were still dressed in your royal huntress uniform, the only differences being that you had let your hair fall freely around your shoulders and you had left your weaponry back in your dressing room. The clothes were similar to your winter uniform. They were made of lighter material, the sleeves were merely thick straps holding the shirt up by your shoulders, and there was no hood.

You leaned back a bit, filled your lungs with the fresh, sweet smelling air, and sighed. A light breeze blew through your hair. There was a knock on the door of your room. You turned to look through the open balcony doors, watching the sheer curtains inside your room sweeping up in the wind that blew through the opening. “Come in,” you called.

You heard the door creak open and then click shut. Your grandmother appeared in the balcony doorway. She smiled warmly at you. “This arrived for you today,” she said walking towards you, and handed you an envelope.

You wearily returned her smile and accepted the letter. You could tell from the seal that it was from Ylva. You adjusted your sitting position to keep your balance without your hands, broke the seal, and read the letter silently.

Rena,

I wish I could help you, but I have no authority in this matter. Love is a decision you must make on your own, or you will most definitely regret it. Follow your heart. It will lead you to where you want to be.

Ylva

You sighed. “Bad news, darling?” your grandmother asked, leaning against the railing.

You shook your head, “Not exactly, just not what I was hoping for.”

“What’s bothering you, Rena?”

“Nothing, everything is fine.”

“You haven’t been yourself in over a week. Tell me what’s on your mind, child.”

You looked down into the garden below, “Have you ever wanted something with your heart, but your mind didn’t want any part in it?”

You met your grandmother’s gaze. She pursed her lips, “Is this something really that terrible?”

You swallowed, “I’m afraid it will hurt me, and even if it doesn’t, there will be consequences.”

“Is it worth the stakes?”

“I…No, it isn’t.”

“Are you certain about that?”

“I…” your grandmother’s words were beginning to cause doubt.

“Rena,” she said sincerely, “you have grown into a smart, strong woman. You need to learn to trust yourself, and what you are feeling.”

You looked out into the garden, seeing movement among the lush flowers and brush. Loki was walking down the same path you had taken when he first told you about your heritage and abilities. He glanced at your balcony and, upon spotting you, turned his gaze down to the stone path. You took a shaky breath and turned back to your grandmother, “But what if I’m wrong?”

“You’re very intelligent,” she said gently. “If your heart is willing to go against your mind, especially your smart mind, then it must be something that’s worth the risk.”

You looked out over the forest, the mountains, and the setting sun. Ylva’s words returned to you. Follow your heart. And suddenly everything was clear to you. You should have known from the start. You did love Loki.

The aching that had been in your chest broke, and bloomed into something new and beautiful. Warmth spread throughout your body, from your core to your fingertips. You turned back to your grandmother, a smile spreading across your face. You wrapped your arms around her. “Thank you,” you whispered in her ear.

Your grandmother returned your embrace, holding you tightly then letting go. You swung your legs over the railing and sprinted into your room, tossing Ylva’s letter onto your bed, then running to the door. “Rena,” you heard your grandmother call after you as you grasped the door handle.

You stopped short and turned to face her. She was standing in the balcony doorway with her hands on her hips and a knowing smile on her face. She chuckled, “That prince is a lucky man.”

You grinned, threw open the door, and dashed out into the corridor. You sprinted through the halls and flew down the stairs. Finally you reached the doors leading to the garden, pushed them open and stepped outside. You looked left and right, searching for Loki, but not seeing anyone at all. You spotted your balcony, seeing your grandmother was gone, and began following the path you had seen Loki taking. His lean figure came into view. He was slowly pacing back and forth under the shade of a large tree. His face was stricken with pain and sadness. You walked towards him at a pace a bit faster than what you usually walked at. “Loki,” you called to him.

Loki looked up from the ground, turning his gaze on you. When he saw the joyous expression on your face he started walking towards you, slowly at first. You started jogging towards him. “Loki,” you called again.

He quickened his stride and a smile spread across his face. You ran to him. Loki picked you up when you finally reached him, spinning around as he held you in the air and you wrapped your arms around his neck. Loki pulled you close to him, still holding you up in the air as you embraced him. You rested your chin on his shoulder. Unable to touch your feet to the ground, you wrapped your legs around his waist. 

“Rena,” he whispered in your ear.

You pulled your face away to look at him, “Loki,” you breathed, “I know what I want.”

Loki’s eyes gleamed with happiness, “I do, too.”

“I don’t care about the rules.”

In that moment every bit of pain and sorrow left Loki’s expression. Joy emanated from him as he tightened his grip around you. He lifted his lips to yours, kissing you deeply. You smiled into the kiss. You felt everything shift, as though the ground was falling from underneath the two of you.

When you opened your eyes you were in Loki’s room. He smiled up at you, still holding you up so your feet could not touch the floor. Loki pressed his lips to yours again, tangling his hand in your hair. You smiled as you kissed him, unable to contain your happiness. Finally Loki set you down. He pulled his lips away from yours slowly as though he never wanted the moment to end. You giggled and rested your head on his chest as he embraced you. Loki planted a kiss on the top of your head. He swept you up and carried you to the bed, laying you down on it and lying beside you. Loki wrapped his arms around you as you nuzzled against his chest. “If this is a dream, don’t wake me up,” he murmured.

You grinned, “We’re both having the same dream then.”

Loki kissed you again. You ran a hand through his jet black hair as he pressed you closer to him. Loki broke the kiss only to trail his lips from your cheek to your collar bone. You sighed happily, melting against his touch. He pulled away, looking down at you. “My Rena,” he smiled, pushing your hair out of your face and tucking it behind your ear, “my joy.”

You snuggled up against him, savoring the moment.

 

You ran through the maze of stone walls. They towered above you, every dark corner threatening to devour you. You were consumed by multiple emotions hitting you like waves. Guilt. Fear. Shame. They clawed at your heart, tripping you as you sprinted though the stone corridors. This couldn’t be. Your nightmares had never been this intense in all of your life. What had you done to set off this one? Screams pierced the air. You froze. “Mother!” you screamed and blotted in the direction of the noise. 

Every corner looked like the last. You hit several dead ends, turning back the way you had come only to find another. The walls were changing, shrinking around you. Your mother’s voice was fading away. You had to find her. Your knees buckled and you collapsed from an unknown force. Your face hit the hard ground, and you could feel blood trickling from open wounds. You looked up to see Claire and Elise. They giggled, but not the way you had known them to. It was sadistic. Evil. They bared their fangs at you, snapping at your face. You jerked away, scrambling across the pavement until you hit something. You whirled, finding your mother lying on the ground behind you. She turned her head to look at you. She was covered in blood, her clothing torn the same as when you had found her when she was left to die in an ally by her attackers. Behind her were Janna, Sam, and your grandmother. They wore thin rags, revealing how their bones protruded. Their eyes were sunken in from hunger. “Why, Rena?” your mother whispered. “Why didn’t you save me?”

You reached out to touch her but the floor beneath you was sinking, drawing you in. You clawed desperately at the ground but it all crumbled away. You were underwater. It swirled so you had no idea which way was up. You felt the waves swell and throw you through the air like you were weightless. You landed on the hard wooden deck of a ship. All around you were dead bodies. You recognized the faces of the bandits you had injured or killed months ago. Rain poured down and thunder cracked as the bodies rose up, stumbling towards you. With a flash of light Thor was standing in front your. You tried to run only to find you were chained to him. Thor pulled you to him, aggressively pushing your mouth to his as he tugged at your clothes. You struggled to keep from being exposed and to wrench yourself from his grasp as the corpses staggered closer. “Stop running, Rena,” they said in union.

The chains that bound you to Thor turned scalding hot, burning your skin. It took every bit of strength you had, pushing through the weight that you felt on your chest, but you screamed, “Leave me alone!”

You fell through swirling, crushing darkness, and then you were kneeling. You looked up to see Loki towering over you. He smirked and laughed maniacally, grabbing you by the throat and lifting you into the air. “Why,” he hissed, his voice slithering through your mind, “why let me in? Haven’t you learned your lesson yet? Those closest have the most power to destroy you.”

He tossed you aside, the world spinning until you skidded to a halt at your father’s feet in your old home. He kicked you aside, heading from the door.

 

Loki’s P.O.V.

I slept peacefully, my heart swelled with happiness. I would never have forced her to be with me, but I have no idea what I would have done if she had not chosen to. She was the most wonderful person I’d ever met, and I was certain I loved her. She probably knew how I felt, but I still needed to tell her. How, though? What if I drove her away and she slipped through my fingers? My last love could not compare to Rena, which would make losing her even more painful. I’d thought that when my heart healed from what she and Thor did it was nothing but scar tissue, incapable of feeling. I’d thought I would never love again until she entered my life. Then there was something I feared more. She might know I love her, but what if Rena did not feel the same way towards me?

My unconscious thoughts were disrupted with a scream. Before I had even awoken I knew something was wrong as Rena thrashed in my arms next to me. The second my eyes were open my hand darted for the dagger on my bedside table. I held it to protect her against the unknown threat, only to find that we were alone. Still, Rena screamed and flailed in my arms. Her nightmares were back. I set the knife back down and wrapped both my arms around her. “Shh,” I whispered, “you’re safe Rena, your safe.”

She stopped tossing but her body was still tense as I held her close. Her lower lip trembled. “Daddy,” she whimpered in her sleep, “don’t leave.”

I tucked her head under my chin, burying my face in her hair. She smelled sweet like flowers. The thought of her father made me angry. How could he leave her like that? So young and with a family depending on her. All he taught her was abandonment and that she could never trust anyone; that she would get left behind if she let the walls she’d built around herself come down. I couldn’t bring her father back, but I could prevent the abandonment from happening again. I pulled Rena as close to me as possible. “Don’t worry, darling,” I whispered in her ear, “I’ll never leave you.”


	12. The Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secret is out, and you can only watch and wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was really lazy this week and pretty much wrote at least half of this the night before it was posted, so sorry if my writing isn't the best in this chapter.

The heels of your slippers clicked against the polished marble floor as you made you way from the library to your room. You shuffled through the leaflets of compositions in your arms. Several weeks ago you had decided to put the pianoforte in your room to good use by learning how to use it. You had perhaps an hour or so to yourself that night since Loki was required at a family dinner. He and Thor had been avoiding each other since Thor kissed you, and when they were together all they did was argue. Odin and Frigga had arranged for just the four of them to be present at dinner that night. They claimed it was just a family dinner to spend time with each other, but everyone knew their real motive was to get their sons to speak to each other. You were a bit nervous that Thor forcibly kissing you would come up in an argument between him and his brother, or that Loki would accidentally admit to his courtship with you. You and Loki had chosen to keep your relationship a secret. Though you had both decided to ignore the rules in order to be together, you wanted to spend as much time together as possible without people bent on separating the two of you. You trusted him though, and knew you had nothing to fear.  


You opened the door to your room and stepped inside, closing it before making your way to the pianoforte. You pulled out the bench and sat on the red velvety cushion, taking a composition and placing it on the stand in front of you. You moved your fingers over the ivory and ebony keys. You loved the way that though the notes sounded odd and disruptive by themselves, they were harmonious and sweet when played together. You played several different songs, trying to focus and learn the order of what keys to push, but every once in a while you found yourself playing a different composition. You had learned it the other night, and it was by far your favorite piece. The song was slow and started out sad, but with every divine keystroke it became more blissful. You liked to think that life was like that. Even when something was wrong and distressing, if you played the right keys it would all fall into place perfectly.  


Soon you had discarded the other compositions and began to play that song to your heart’s content. You lost yourself in the notes and gentle sway of the music. “It’s a lovely piece,” a silky voice whispered as the song came to an end.  


You turned and saw Loki standing by the secret doorway. “How long have you been here?” you asked, blushing.  


“Not long,” Loki said with a wink as he came closer, sitting on the bench next to you. “It’s my favorite work.  


“Mine, too.”  


Loki started moving his fingers across the keys. You did the same, and soon the two of you were playing the piece together. In the glossy reflection of the piano’s smooth, black surface you caught a glimpse of Loki looking fondly and dreamily at you as you both played the chords. It still amazed you that someone would look at you that way. You had convinced yourself for so long that no one could ever feel the way he felt about you, or that you were capable of these feelings.  


The song came to a close. You looked into his tender, sparkling emerald eyes. Loki let his lips brush against your forehead. “How was your family dinner?” you asked, hiding your anxiety.  


Loki shrugged, “Nothing out of the ordinary.”  


You let go of a breath you had not realized you were holding. “My mother brought up the Nations’ Ball which we are hosting in the summer,” Loki said, taking your hand. “Would you do me the honor of accompanying me?”  


Your voice was barely a whisper as a knot formed in your throat, “Of course.”  


Loki’s eyes gleamed with happiness. He cupped you cheek in his hand and kissed you. You smiled into the kiss, and you smile became mischievous as he pulled his lips away. “I don’t suppose you know who invited me to the last ball?” you asked.  


Loki grinned smugly, “At least I won’t have to be anonymous anymore.”

Your entire family had been invited to dinner with the royal family the following night. Your mother and the queen had become quite friendly with each other during the two weeks you, Odin, and the princes were in Alteh, and Frigga absolutely adored your siblings, making you all frequent dinner guests. Really the only times you didn’t eat with them was when the family was having a private dinner to themselves or when there was royal company. All of you chatted comfortably at dinner, with the exception of Thor who mostly just concentrated on his food, gave short answers, and avoided eye-contact with you in particular. Frigga managed to bring up the subject of the Nations’ Ball that evening. “I simply cannot stand waiting for the ball,” Frigga beamed as the conversation shifted to said topic. She turned her attention to your mother. “Have you heard about it from Lord Erichsen?  


You glanced at your mother, who grinned at the mention of the Lord who had been courting her since he met her at the last Nations’ Ball. “He invited me to accompany him at his last visit,” your mother said, joy washing off of her in waves.  


“Oh, that’s just marvelous!” Frigga clasped her hands together. “We’ll have the seamstresses tailor a dress for you right away.”  


“Would you care to join me for a dance or two, dear?” Odin’s lips turned up in a smile as he placed his hand over his wife’s.  


Frigga laughed, “But of course! How could I refuse?”  


Everyone chuckled at the king and queen’s joke. “And what about you, boys?” Frigga asked, looking back and forth between Thor and Loki.  


Thor shrugged. “No one comes to mind,” his voice was practically a growl, but you seemed to be the only one who noticed.  


“Loki,” Frigga addressed her other son, who sat next to you, “I think it would be very kind of you to invite Princess Adabelle to accompany you to the ball. She’s a very sweet girl, and I’m certain she would accept.”  


“I apologize, Mother,” Loki responded, “but I’ve already invited someone, and they have agreed to join me.”  


You froze. The knuckles of the hand that was gripping your fork turned white. “Well that’s splendid!” Frigga exclaimed, her voice both surprised and bubbly.  


“Who are you escorting, son?” Odin said curiously.  


Loki held his head high, “Rena had accepted my invitation to attend the ball with me.”  


With the exception of the clatter of someone’s cutlery hitting the table, the room was entirely silent. You felt the burning gazes of everyone’s eyes as they were all directed at you. Your cheeks flushed red as you nervously tucked your hair behind your ear. Hidden under the table you felt Loki’s hand gently squeeze yours, which had been resting on your lap. You swallowed the lump in your throat and looked up to face everyone. “Yes,” you said, clearing your throat, “I agreed to attend the ball.”  


Thor noisily set down his silverware and got up from his seat, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. “Excuse me,” he simply said, and left the room.  


The meal was finished in silence.

After dinner, you used the secret passage behind your bookcase, climbing the steps to Loki’s room. You stealthily opened the stone door at the top of the staircase, peeking into the room. Loki sat at his desk, scribbling something on a piece of parchment. You crept across the floor, your footsteps silent. Loki was so caught up in whatever he was writing that he didn’t even take notice when you were standing right behind him. You peeked over his shoulder, “What’s that?”  


Loki flinched, startled by your sudden appearance, and quickly slipped the paper away into a drawer. “There are very few who can sneak up on me like that,” he smirked, standing to face you.  


You folded your arms across your chest and raised an eyebrow, “I’m afraid that does not answer my question, Your Highness.”  


“You will find out,” Loki grinned mischievously as he looked down at you.  


Before you could say anything else he pressed his lips to yours. Loki put his hands on your hips as you wrapped your arms around his neck. He carried you to the sofa where you let him kiss you. You tried to lose yourself in the kiss, hoping to just forget everything, but it was to no avail. Loki seemed to sense your discontent and kissed you more in an attempt to free you from it. You ended up so that you were sitting on one end of the sofa while Loki’s head rested on your lap, his hands folded on his chest, and (rather than his tall figure being cramped) his legs propped up on the opposite arm. You absentmindedly ran your hand through his hair as you gazed into the fire that lit the hearth. “Darling?” Loki said.  


“Yes?” you looked down at him.  


His eyes, instead of being bright, sharp, and full of mischief, were a deeper shade of green, reflecting the sorrow he felt. “I’m sorry for embarrassing you at dinner.”  


“I wasn’t embarrassed,” you sighed.  


The lie was so weak even you didn’t believe it. “Are you embarrassed,” Loki swallowed, “because I’m the one taking you to the ball?”  


“No, Loki, it’s not at all like that,” this time your words were sincere. “If anything, I feel embarrassed for betraying your parents. They gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, took my family and me in, and I repay them by having their son court the wrong woman.”  


“That’s not true.”  


You gazed into Loki’s eyes. They were warm and sincere. You wished you could just lose yourself in the safety of his eyes forever. Your thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. “Loki,” you heard Frigga’s voice, “your father and I wish to speak to you, dear.”  


Loki sat up. You quickly scurried to the secret passage, Loki watching and not opening the door until you were concealed by the tapestry. You shut the stone door behind you, and padded to your room. Almost immediately after you had entered there was a knock on the door. “One moment,” you called.  


You swiftly concealed the secret passage with your bookcase then answered the door. “Rena,” Marcus, who could now walk without the aid of a crutch, addressed you, “I need to talk to you.”  


“Of course,” you said opening the door widely and allowing him in.  


Marcus waited for you to shut the door before he started speaking. “How long has this been going on?” he demanded.  


“You’ll have to be a little more specific,” you said, though you knew exactly what he was talking about.  


“You and the damn prince!” Marcus clenched his fists.  


“That’s none of your concern,” you said defensively.  


“Of course it is! I’m your older brother for goodness sake!”  


“Just a few weeks,” you admitted. “What does it matter to you?”  


Marcus threw his hands in the air, “I cannot believe this! My little sister…”  


“I’m not a little girl, Marcus,” you snarled. “A little girl can’t support herself plus seven people for nine years.”  


“Why didn’t you tell anyone?”  


“We knew people like you would be judgmental.”  


“Has he made you his wench?”  


“Marcus!” you exclaimed, bewildered by his outburst.  


“Has he?!” Marcus demanded.  


Your lips curled into a snarl, “No! He wouldn’t do that to me!”  


“You…I…” Marcus shuddered and collapsed into one of the chairs by your fireplace, using the arms to steady himself.  


Your scowl fell. The anger that had consumed you washed away and was replaced with concern. “Marcus,” you said anxiously and rushed to his side.  


“I’m fine,” he sighed, “I still just get lightheaded sometimes.”  


You felt your lower lip beginning to tremble. “I’m sorry,” you whispered.  


“Don’t be,” Marcus breathed. “It’s like you said, you’ve been supporting us for all this time. I just feel like I’ve let you down, Rena.”  


You knelt by his side, “You never let me down.”  


“When you were born, I promised I would be a good big brother; that I would protect you and make sure you were happy. When I got sick, you were the one taking care of me. You took care of everyone. I always felt like I put some huge burden on you. I was supposed to be the one that took over when our father left, but I didn’t,” Marcus drew a long breath. “I guess I just said all that because I thought I wasn’t protecting you again. I’m sorry, Rena.”  


You kissed the top of his head, “None of that was your fault. You did protect me. I always wanted to be like you.”  


Marcus managed a small grin, and then his face became serious. “Are you happy, Rena?” he asked. “With Loki, I mean.”  


You gave a small nod, “Yes, very much.”  


Marcus stood up and wrapped his arms around you, “That’s all I want.”  


You returned Marcus’s hug. The both of you smiled at each other when you let go. “Good night,” Marcus said, pressing his lips to your forehead.  


“Good night,” you said as he left the room, closing the door behind him.  


You entered your dressing room and sat down at the vanity mirror. You knew it was wrong, and you didn’t want to eavesdrop, but you were desperate to know what was going on in the room above you. You thought of Loki and pressed your index finger to the mirror. An image began to ripple across the surface. Loki stood facing his parents, glaring with his arms folded across his chest. “Darling,” Frigga pleaded, “I know Rena is a wonderful girl, but you know the rules. The longer you two drag this out only means it will hurt more when you have to be apart.”  


“And why must I be apart from her?” Loki shot back.  


“Son,” Odin sighed, “our family’s blood must remain pure…”  


“And her blood is what? Soiled?”  


“As pure of heart as she is, she was born into poverty,” you could practically feel Odin’s temper rising.  


Frigga put a hand on his shoulder to calm him, “We all think highly of Rena, but you know why it cannot be this way, Loki.”  


“Right,” Loki spat, “because I must be with someone who’s a royal rather than someone who makes me happy.”  


“Can you not find someone who is both?”  


“There is no one else like her.”  


A knock on your door disrupted you listening in on the conversation. “Just a moment,” you called out, drawing your finger across the mirror to erase the scene.  


You expected anyone, a servant, your family, Faith, anyone more than who was actually standing in front of you when you looked into the corridor. “Thor,” you gasped.  


“Hello, Rena,” Thor looked back and forth between you and the floor. “May I come in?”  


You nodded and stepped aside. Thor walked carefully, as though he was stepping on glass. You left the door open a crack, enough for privacy but also for an easy escape. Thor finally met your gaze. His eyes were dark with remorse and guilt. “I…I came to apologize,” you saw the lump in Thor’s throat bob up and down as he paused, “for my recent behavior.”  


Silence filled the air as you stood awestruck. “It was wrong of me to lose my temper and lash out at you,” Thor continued, “and I should have come to you sooner rather than ignore you. I’m sorry.”  


“Thank you,” you said gently, “I’m sorry, too. I did stop spending time with you rather suddenly.”  


Thor shook his head, “I still shouldn’t have…attacked you, and yelled at you. I don’t determine how you spend your time or who with.”  


“If it’s any consolation, your brother and I have only been together for a short time. We weren’t spending our time the way you think we were when I wasn’t coming to the armory as often.”  


Thor arched his eyebrows, “What were you doing, if you don’t mind my asking?”  


You gestured to the table by the fireplace. With a flick of your wrist the book sitting on top of it flew into Thor’s hands. He chuckled, “I thought my brother was the only one who could do that!”  


You grinned in response, “He taught me how.”  


Thor stepped forward and handed the book back to you. You smiled up at him, “Thank you, Thor. Your apology means a lot to me.”  


You stood on your tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Thor was smiling when you pulled back, the hurt and shame gone from his face. There was a light tap on the door as you stepped back. “Rena?” Loki said, poking his head in.  


When he saw Thor Loki’s jaw tightened and he pushed open the door, approaching him. “If you dare even think about hurting her,” Loki threatened.  


“Your brother was just apologizing to me, Loki,” you said firmly.  


Loki stopped in his tracks, looking curiously at Thor. “Yes,” Thor confirmed, “and I owe you an apology as well, brother.”  


Loki sized Thor up, looking for the hidden snag. “I hope you two are happy together,” Thor went on, “regardless of anything Mother and Father might say. I’m on your side.”  


Loki nodded hesitantly, “Thank you.”  


The two shook hands. Loki’s wariness melted away, and he finally managed a small smile at his brother. Thor bid you both a good night before heading back to his chambers. With the door shut Loki cupped your face in his hands and kissed you gently. “What did your parents have to say?” you whispered, already knowing the answer.  


Loki smiled, looking tired, “Nothing you need to be concerned about, darling.”  


If you hadn’t seen it with your own eyes you would have believed the lie blindly. You knew he was only saying this to protect you, but your heart told you that this was just the peace before the storm.


	13. Hello Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the ball has arrived. You see old friends, and old enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No. Flippin. Way. Seventy-five kudos! You guys are amazing! Thanks to those of you who have stuck around all this time, and even if you didn't make it this far (if that's the case you probably aren't reading this, but oh well!), thank you just for reading!

The date of the Nations’ Ball was approaching rapidly. Though no one went out of their way to be unkind to you, you found that people had become distant since they learned about your relationship with Loki. Finally it was the middle of summer. You dressed in your royal huntress uniform and stood in the same formation in front of the palace as you had for the arrival of the guests during the winter. This time you did not make the mistake of letting your eyes wander to the visitors.  


Faith, Dagny, and Frea (who seemed to be some of the only ones who were excited to hear of your relationship with Loki) helped you to prepare for the ball the next day. Since you did not receive a last minute invitation this time, they had already made your dress. The afternoon was spent putting on last minute touches. As you stood in the dressing room with Dagny and Frea anxiously smoothing out the skirt of your dress, there was a knock at the door. Faith went to answer it. “I’ve come to escort Rena,” you recognized the voice though you could not see him from the dressing room.  


“Just a moment Your Highness,” Faith excused herself and rushed back into the dressing room.  


She grinned ear to ear at you before ushering Dagny and Frea out of your way. You took an anxious breath and stepped out into the room. Your dress was made of a golden, silky fabric. The sleeves were short and flowed loosely around your upper arms. Faith had woven your hair into a long, thick braid that fell over one shoulder. White, sweet smelling flowers had been firmly woven into the braid. The skirt flowed as you approached Loki. He smiled, taking your hand and planting a gentle kiss on it. You felt a light blush in your cheeks. “You look beautiful,” Loki murmured wistfully.  


You shyly thanked him for the compliment. Loki held out his arm. You looped your own through it and allowed him to lead you to the ballroom. It was mainly the same decor as the last ball, except instead of darkness pressing against the windows you saw the sun setting behind the mountains. Loki led you through the crowd of dancing couples in the center of the room. He placed a hand on your back, holding one of your hands as you rested the other on his shoulder. You tried to shove away the thoughts of what Frigga and Odin had said while talking and spinning in Loki’s arms, but it was no use. No matter how much you tried to ignore reality and enjoy yourself, the thoughts would creep up on you when you least expected them. Loki seemed to sense your tension. He whispered words of comfort, which eased your silent suffering.  


You danced with each other for song after song. You stopped to applaud after the musicians finished. Out of the corner of your eye you saw a wisp of blonde hair. “Prince Loki,” Adabelle, the princess Ylva had told you about, approached Loki, ignoring you completely, “might I trouble you for a dance?”  


“Yes, madam,” Loki said, the enthusiasm in his voice had all but vanished.  


Before taking her hand Loki leaned over and kissed you full on the lips. You bit your tongue to keep from smirking. The princess sneered at you when Loki’s eyes were not on her, following him through the throng of guests to another section of the dance floor. You gracefully picked your way through the crowd, spotting Ylva. She waved you over to where she stood in the corner of the room. You approached her, but before you could even get a greeting out she grabbed you by the wrist and pulled you behind one of the large columns. “Were my eyes playing tricks on me, or did I spot you dancing with a certain prince this entire evening?” Ylva asked suspiciously.  


You grinned, “What can I say? I took your advice.”  


“Oh, Rena!” Ylva squealed and clasped her hand around yours. “I’m so happy for you!”  


“You’re one of few,” you muttered.  


Ylva seemed confused, so you explained the whole story of how the king and queen felt of your relationship as you emerged from behind the column. No sooner had the two of you come out from your hiding spot before you saw another familiar face. “Fancy seeing you here,” Prince Ivar stepped into your path.  


You and Ylva came to a quick halt to avoid running into him. “Hello, Your Highness,” you said politely and bowed your head.  


“Ivar,” Ylva turned her nose up at the very name.  


You wished you could do the same, but until you were ranked equally with Ivar you had no choice but to display your best manners. Ivar took no notice to Ylva and instead looked you up and down. “You look enchanting,” Ivar said lowly, his lips curled into a crooked smile.  


“Thank you, my prince,” you said hesitantly.  


Ylva grabbed you by the wrist and began to drag you away. “If you’ll excuse us,” Ylva flashed a false smile at Ivar, “we were just looking for my parents.”  


“Oh, don’t go,” Ivar said smoothly, “I’ve brought you both drinks.”  


Ivar held up two goblets filled with wine. You smiled courteously, “I apologize, Your Highness, but I don’t drink alcohol.”  


Ivar’s face fell. You saw a flicker of annoyance in his eyes, but he was quickly back to his calm, collected self. “Thank you for your offer,” Ylva said and tugged you away.  


You were in no rush to object and swiftly followed Ylva through the crowd and away from the prince. “That boy, I swear!” Ylva seethed when you were out of hearing distance.  


“Thank you for getting us out of there,” you said, not daring to look over your shoulder.  


“Oh, believe me, it was my pleasure!”  


You managed to avoid Ivar for the remainder of the song, however, when you turned to find Loki, who would have finished his dance with Adabelle, you came face to face with him. “Here you are,” Ivar smiled victoriously and held out two chalices of water, “no alcohol as requested.”  


You turned to Ylva. She shrugged, murmuring her thanks as she took her goblet. You supposed it would just be easier to go along with whatever Ivar’s little game was rather than have him trail you for the rest of the night. You thanked him and took your chalice, raising it to your lips and taking a sip. You scanned the crowd for Loki, hoping he could successfully drive away Ivar again. Soon your vision was blurry. Ivar’s chatter became distant. You frantically searched for Loki. Even Thor could have helped in this situation. Your mind was fuzzy and the floor seemed to shift underneath you. “Rena!” Ylva exclaimed as you lost your balance and gripped a nearby table to support you.  


“I’m not feeling so well,” you said, short of breath.  


Ivar took the chalice out of your hand and passed it off to a servant. You felt as though you were about to vomit. You cautiously stood up and looked desperately at Ylva. “Could you tell Loki that I was feeling ill, and went back to my room?” you managed to pant.  


Ylva nodded her head, her eyes wide with concern and her eyebrows knit together. You managed to stumble through the crowd and out into the corridor. You took in gulps of air, thankful to be away from the crowd. You staggered in the direction of your room. “Rena,” you heard a voice call.  


You looked over your shoulder to see Ivar striding towards you. “I wanted to make sure you got to your room safely,” he said and began walking next to you.  


“That’s very kind of you, Your Highness,” you huffed.  


“You are the royal huntress here, correct?” Ivar said flatly when you were away from the guards in front of the ballroom.  


“Y-yes, I am.”  


“You must know a lot about trapping your prey.”  


“Well, I suppose I…”  


“Do you know much about poisons?”  


“Poisons? Well, I read a book about them.”  


“I find them rather fascinating,” Ivar chuckled. “There are poisons that are clear, odorless. No way to detect them until they’re already in your system. A lot can kill you, but just the right amount will cause a victim to fall unconscious.”  


You gasped and collapsed the second the word left his mouth. Ivar stepped forward and held out an arm, catching you. You were too weak to fight back. All you remembered before your vision faded away was Ivar’s cunning smirk. “You should know, Rena,” he whispered, “I always get what I want.”


	14. Savior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What have you gotten yourself into now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! Hope you guys like this chapter. :)

You slowly blinked your eyes open, seeing that your surroundings were dark. Your eyes adjusted to the lack of light. The room was bare, containing only a chair with its back facing you and an old wardrobe. It was probably a vacant room for a servant. You were lying on a bed, still wearing your dress from the ball. Even the flowers were still tightly woven into your hair. There was a pounding sensation in your skull. You moved your hand to press it against your forehead, jerking your arm when you realized you couldn’t move it. Each of your limbs was tied to the bed posts. You tried to scream but the sound was muffled by the gag between your teeth. “You’re awake,” a voice floated through the room.  


Ivar stood up from the chair and turned to face you. His shirt was unbuttoned, exposing his torso. Your body went rigid, but you refused to show fear. You narrowed your eyes at Ivar, scowling as he came closer to you. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out a hand which he traced down your cheek, slowly moving towards you neck. You shook off his hand, repulsed by his touch. Ivar sneered and slapped you open palm across the face. The blow stung your cheek. Tears pricked up in the corners of your eyes but you refused to let them fall. Ivar’s anger faded and he returned to his erogenous smile. “I don’t give up that easily,” Ivar’s voice was hot against you skin as he leaned down and whispered in your ear.  


You attempted to scream for help through the gag again. Ivar merely chuckled. “Scream all you want,” he breathed against your neck, “no one can save you now. Not even your beloved prince.”  


Ivar pressed his lips against your skin as he twirled you hair in his fingers. “Loki,” you said in your mind, “please, Loki. I need you.”  


Ivar’s lips brushed over your neck and cheeks. You even felt his teeth graze your ear. You wanted to cringe but the bindings were too tight. Ivar placed his hand on your side. So this was it. The glorious hunter hired to protect the princes at the mercy of this prince. You still wore your dress, but the thought made you feel as exposed as ever. This was not your element. You had no way of protecting yourself. Ivar let the silky fabric of the sleeve of your dress slide through his fingers as he moved a hand to your shoulder. You had given up hope entirely.  


Ivar jolted at a loud banging on the door that raddled its hinges. “Go away,” Ivar murmured just loud enough for whoever was behind the door to hear.  


Snap! The door thudded as it hit the ground, completely ripped out of its frame. Loki stood where the door had once been. His face was distorted by fury and his eyes were alight with a rage you had never seen in him. He ran to the bed and ripped Ivar off of you, throwing him to the floor. Ivar sprawled on his back. He propped himself up on his elbow, “What the…”  


Before Ivar could finish his sentence Loki had gripped him by the collar of his shirt. He slammed his fist into Ivar’s face repeatedly. Blood flowed from his nose, lips, and other cuts on Ivar’s face, splattering on his clothes, hair, and Loki’s hand. Loki let go of Ivar’s shirt, letting his limp body hit the ground hard. Ivar moaned in pain as Loki approached the bed. He drew a knife from his belt and cut away the binds holding you to the bed. Loki pulled the gag away from your mouth, slid his arms under your legs and around your shoulders, and lifted you off the bed. He carried you out of the room, holding you tightly. Over his shoulder you saw Ivar’s blood spattered face as he lied motionless on the floor.  


You buried your face into Loki’s chest as he carried you through the palace. “You two,” Loki called to a servant and a guard, “follow me.”  


Loki led them to his room, where he set you down on his bed. He turned the young servant girl. “Get her anything she needs,” Loki ordered with anger still in his voice.  


“Yes, Your Highness” the girl replied.  


Loki nodded for the guard to follow him. “Stand guard outside the door,” Loki commanded. “Do not let anyone inside this room except for me.”  


Loki stormed down the corridor as the guard stepped outside, closing the door behind him. The servant asked if you needed anything, and stood quietly by the bed when you declined the offer. You looked out the window to see that the moon hung high in the indigo sky. The ball would be over by this time. You sat on the bed with your legs crossed and slowly started to take your hair out of its braid, carefully arranging the flowers in front of you as they fell out of your hair.  


You waited for what seemed like forever. Your eyelids were heavy, but you refused to fall asleep. At one point the healer came up to your room with a box of medicines and ointments (she’d had to show the guard a signed note from Loki just to enter the room). She told you that Loki had said you were sick and possibly injured. You let her give you a full examination. When you told her about the drug Ivar had slipped in your water she said it would no longer affect you, and would leave your body of its own accord.  


Almost an hour after she left Loki quietly opened the door of the room. Behind him you could see the dismissed guard walking down the hallway. Loki approached the servant. “Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice tired and gentle, void of its recent anger, “you are dismissed.”  


The servant curtsied and left the room, closing the door noiselessly behind her. Loki sat down on the edge of the bed. He cupped your cheeks in his hand and rested his forehead against yours. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.  


His voice was raw from yelling and trembled with guilt. “Sorry for what?” you asked, confused by his apology.  


“I should have stayed with you,” Loki said regretfully. “I knew Ivar was here, and I still left you on your own. This is my fault. If I stayed this never would have happened.”  


You placed a hand over his, “Loki, you saved me.”  


Loki drew a shuddering breath. He slowly pulled away and sat facing you cross-legged on the bed, the arrangement of flowers sitting between you. He looked up slowly, when suddenly his eyes widened. "What did he do to you?" he asked and touched his hand lightly to your cheek, which was still red from where Ivar had slapped you.  


You pulled away and covered the mark with your hand, but it was too late. "I'll kill him," Loki seethed, balling his hands into fists.  


"No, Loki, please," you begged. "It's all over now, I don't want to start a fight all over again."  


"I..." Loki's voice trailed off as he looked into your pleading eyes.

He relaxed, uncurling his fists. The fire in Loki's eyes burnt out as he took a deep breath. "Only because you asked me not to, darling," he said on the exhale. "Just say the word he'll wish he never left his little kingdom."

You leaned over and kissed his cheek softly, "I appreciate that."

“I spoke to my father,” Loki said gently as you pulled away. “Ivar is never to be allowed to set foot on the palace grounds again. I made sure that he and his family left tonight.”

“Thank you,” you said softly.  


Loki took one of your hands in his, staring at it and holding it gently. “How did you find me?” you asked, breaking the silence.  


Loki looked up from your hand, “I was looking for you in the ballroom when the dance ended. Princess Ylva found me, saying you felt sick and went to your room. She also said that she had seen Ivar leaving after you. I went to your room, but you weren’t there, so I went up the passage behind your bookcase. When I saw you weren’t here either, I started running all over the palace looking for you. All of the sudden I could hear you voice calling for me. I followed the sound until I reached the old servants’ quarters.”  


“I was calling for you,” you admitted, “but it was in my mind. I couldn’t talk with the gag. Was it another one of your spells?”  


“I suppose so.”  


An unanswered question hung in the air. You knew Loki wanted to know the answer out of concern for your well-being, but was too polite to ask. You drew in a shaky breath, “Ivar never did what he intended to.”  


Loki nodded, “I’m glad for that.”  


He gently pushed the mound of flowers aside and moved to sit next to you. Loki wrapped his arms around you, tucking your head under his chin. You pressed yourself as close as you could to him, melting into his touch and drawing in his scent. He smelled like home. Like safety and belonging. “I’ll protect you,” he whispered gently, “always.”  


You bit your lip, unsure of how you felt. After years of fending for yourself and caring for others there was finally someone willing to fight for you. Someone you trusted. Someone who wanted you safe. But then there was the other aspect in the grand scheme of saviors and threats. It was the whole reason you’d been asked to come to the palace in the first place. Loki was the one in danger, and you were supposed to be his protector.


	15. Perfection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a surprise from the people closest to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh it's like I'm back from the dead! I am so sorry that I haven't updated in forever. When school ended things were really busy, and over the summer my laptop decided to just die on me! Now that I've started school again and have a new job things won't be any less hectic, but I will try to update as soon as I can. Again I'm really sorry, and I hope you like this chapter!

Though most guests had decided to return home after the ball, some had been invited to stay. Ylva and her family were amongst those guests, but, sadly, so was Adabelle. Ylva, Thor, Loki and you were roaming the halls one day, hoping to avoid the princess at all costs. The four of you talked and made jokes as you wandered through the corridors. “Rena!” you heard someone call your name.

The four of you turned to see your grandmother rushing down the corridor after you. She bowed when she saw the princes and princess. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, Your Highnesses,” she said as she came to a stop in front of you, “I need my granddaughter to come with me now.”

You arched an eyebrow, “Is something wrong?”

Your grandmother chucked, “Your brothers and sisters would like to see you on your birthday, Rena.”

You felt the eyes of Loki, Thor and Ylva as they were all aimed at you. “You neglected to tell us about the occasion,” Ylva said disapprovingly.

“Must have slipped my mind,” you said with a shrug.

With everything that had happened in the past few days, you hadn’t realized it even was your birthday. You were just as surprised as your friends. Your grandmother grasped your wrist and tugged you down the corridor as the three started whispering to each other.

When you reached your siblings’ room, you found your entire family (even Lord Erichsen, who your mother had introduced you to and you had spoken with on several occasions) gathered around a small table holding a cake with light, creamy icing. “Happy birthday, Rena!” Sam and Janna called out as they jumped in the air.

A smile spread across your face. Your grandmother led you to a chair in front of the table, sitting you down as your family began to sing. When they finished your mother sliced the cake into pieces and handed it out on decorative porcelain dishes. You took a bite of the cake. It was the same kind your mother had made when you were a child. You hadn’t tasted it in years. She’d made it for all your birthdays, but when your father left and there was no money to buy anything but the necessities, celebrations had become things of the past. You took another bite, savoring the sweet flavors. Your mother must have gone to the kitchen and baked it herself.

When the cake was gone Sam scrambled to pull a golden box with lacey, silver ribbon out from under his bed. You opened the box to reveal a gorgeous dress with matching slippers. You spent the remainder of the afternoon talking with your family, only leaving when the sun had begun to set. You kissed your siblings, mother, and grandmother goodnight before tucking the box holding your dress under your arm and heading back to your room. “Rena!” you heard a high voice call after you as you walked down the corridor.

You turned to see Janna running after you. “I want to walk with you back to your room,” she said as she grasped your free hand.

“Lead the way,” you smiled down at her as she tightened her grip on you.

You held Janna’s small hand as she sauntered beside you. “How did you like the cake?” you asked.

“I liked it,” Janna said distractedly as she gazed up at the chandelier above you head.

“How do you like Lord Erichsen?”

“He’s nice,” Janna grinned. “He took us to the village to buy your dress,” Janna pulled on your hand, motioning for you to bend down so she could whisper in your ear. “Sam says he picked out the dress,” she said softly, “but that was only after I pointed it out.”

“I see,” you grinned as you stood up straight, “well, my dear, you have exquisite taste.”

Janna giggled as you praised her. “Did you have fun with Loki at the ball?” Janna asked as you climbed a set of stairs.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. Your mother and grandmother had been told about what had happened with Prince Ivar, but not your siblings. Claire and Elise were too young to understand, and you hadn’t wanted to scare Sam and Janna. You didn’t want Marcus overreact either. “I did,” you lied.

At least you had had fun for the first half of the ball when you and Loki danced together. “I picked out the prettiest dress so you could wear it to the next ball with him,” Janna beamed at you.

“You think he’ll invite me to the next ball?” you said curiously.

“He…he will, won’t he?”

You looked down to see that Janna’s lower lip was trembling. You knelt down to her height, setting down the box and putting your hands on her shoulders. “What’s wrong, Janna?” you said soothingly.

She looked at you with watery eyes, “He won’t leave like our father did, right?”

Sam was too young to remember your father at all. Janna, however, had a collection of memories of him, though limited. You remembered how you had comforted her when she was a toddler, incapable of understanding why he had left. “Oh, Janna,” you said gently as you brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“And Lord Erichsen won’t leave Mother either?”

You used your thumb to wipe away a tear from the corner of her eye, “Janna, I can’t make promises like that, but I don’t think that Loki or Lord Erichsen would do something like that to us.”

“But what if they do?”

“You know I’ll always take care of you,” you said calmingly. “You’re my sister, and no man will ever change that.”

Janna’s tears slowly faded away to reveal a smile. She wrapped her arms around you, kissing your cheek. “I love you, Rena,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” you said holding her close.

Janna held your hand all the way back to your room. When you arrived at your door she bid you goodnight before running through the corridors back to her room. You opened the door to reveal Loki, Thor and Ylva sitting around the lit hearth. Three boxes similar to the one that had held your dress sat on the table. “What’s all this?” you asked.

“Well, we would have had a better setup if someone had given us a warning,” Ylva said sarcastically.

The three ushered you towards the table where you sat and opened your gifts. You had received a dagger from Thor, a bottle of perfume from Ylva, and a new book and necklace displaying your favorite gemstone from Loki. When your gifts were open you and Loki took turns playing songs on the pianoforte as everyone danced and laughed happily. Ylva and Thor even played several simple songs you had taught them so you could dance with Loki.

As the sunlight began to fade and the night sky appeared in your window, Ylva and Thor said goodnight before leaving you room. You were alone with Loki. He wrapped his arms around you the second the door was closed, kissing you on the lips. “I have a few more surprises for you,” he murmured as he broke the kiss.

You gave him a puzzled look. Loki chuckled, “Wait here.”

Loki moved aside your bookcase and took the secret staircase up to his room. You smiled to yourself as you picked up the book he had given you, draping yourself comfortably across a chair as you began to read. You could already tell you would love the book after only reading a few pages. You fumbled with the necklace Loki had given you, admiring how it sparkled in the light of the fire in the hearth as I rested around your neck.

You heard a creak as the secret doorway was gently eased open. You turned to see only Loki’s face, as the rest of him was concealed behind the partially closed door. He seemed to be struggling with something. You put down your book and stood to help him. Loki held out a hand. “Just stand right there,” he said with a mischievous smirk, “and turn around.”

“What’s this all about?” you asked as you crossed your arms over your chest.

“It’s called a surprise, darling,” Loki said jokingly.

You sighed and turned around so your back was facing him. You heard the door open the rest of the way. A small clicking sound skittered towards you across the floor. You felt something nudging against your leg. You looked for the source of the push and gasped. A puppy with gray and white fur jumped against your legs. His tongue lolled out to the side of his mouth and the puppy’s wide brown eyes peered up at you with admiration and excitement. You knelt down to the dog, running your hands through its soft fur. You giggled as he licked your face and sniffed you. Loki entered the room and sat down across from you, petting the dog as it scrambled into your lap.

“How did you…” your voice trailed off in amazement as you gently stroke the dog’s head.

Loki grinned, “One of the hunting dogs got out of the kennels. They believe his father is a wolf, so they intended to put him down. I figured you would much rather keep him.”

You leaned forward and wrapped your arms around him. “Thank you, Loki,” you whispered as he returned your embrace.

“What will you name him?” Loki asked as you both pulled away.

You turned your attention back to the dog. “Sköll,” you replied.

“The dog that chased the sun?” Loki asked.

You nodded in response. “Sköll,” Loki said in a soft tone, chuckling as the dog’s ears perked up. “I think he likes the name.”

You smiled and pet Sköll as he snuggled up against you. “I have one more thing,” Loki said as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket with shaking hands. “It’s not much of a gift but…”

You looked at the paper. It was the same one Loki had hidden from you when you had seen him writing on it. Loki nervously cleared his throat and began to read:

 

To define perfection

Look no further

There is no objection

Blessed is the observer

 

Ever so selfless

She gives her affection

Her beholder is helpless

In her eyes is the world’s best reflection

 

She is light in darkness

An angle amongst demons

Without her the sky is starless

For a million reasons

 

There is no comparison

She is more than worthy

A fearless heroine

On an endless journey

 

Search far and wide

There is no question

Nothing to hide

She is perfection

 

As the poem ended you felt a blush creep into your face. Loki’s face was red as he folded the paper in half and nervously ran a hand through his hair. You leaned forward and pressed your lips to his cheek. Loki seemed taken aback by your response when you pulled away. “Thank you,” you said softly as you took his hand, “that’s the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“You deserve it,” Loki smiled, “you are perfection.”


	16. The Competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find that the Queen and a certain princess have plans for Loki that don't involve you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! So sorry this took so long, I just completed my Junior year of high school (yay!), which everyone says is the hardest, so I should be able to update more frequently! I'll do my best to get chapters out as soon as I can.

You looked at yourself in the mirror in your dressing room. You wore a pair of boots, pants, and a tunic. You and Loki had made plans to go for a ride that day, and you were leaving to meet him in the stables. You left the dressing room to find Sköll curled up on your bed. He yawned and stretched out his legs as you petted him between the ears, running your fingers through his soft fur. You kissed him on the nose before leaving your room.  


Down in the stables Loki was waiting for you. Both of your horses were tacked up and ready for the ride. You approached Loki, but before you could even get a word out he had grabbed you by the waist and pulled you into a kiss. You pulled away quickly and glanced around the stables to make sure no one was around. After the ball the news that you and Loki were courting spread like a plague throughout the palace, but you still liked to keep what privacy you had.  


Loki looked depressed at your response. “Is something wrong, darling?” he asked.  


“Just making sure we are alone,” you said with a smile.  


“Are you embarrassed to be seen kissing me?”  


“I just don’t want to make any other girls jealous,” you said mischievously.  


Loki grinned. He let go of you and helped you to mount your horse. He was about to do the same when the stable door opened and two figures entered. “Hello, Loki,” Frigga said sweetly, “hello, Rena.”  


Princess Adabelle was by her side. You could hardly contain your annoyance as both you and Loki greeted the two. “What are you two doing?” the queen asked.  


“We were about to go out for a ride,” Loki said, gesturing to the horses.”  


“What a fantastic idea,” Frigga smiled, “the weather really is perfect for it. Adabelle and I were just old for a stroll. I had better head back now; I don’t suppose you would mind her accompanying you?”  


"They set this up," you thought with disgust as you looked at Adabelle’s smug grin.  


You were cornered. Saying no without a legitimate excuse would be a huge insult, and, as much as you wanted nothing more than to insult Adabelle, she was a guest on the palace grounds, and was to be treated as such. Loki agreed and Frigga left the three of you. You looked Adabelle up and down. She was wearing a dress which, though very beautiful, would have been ridiculous to ride in. The stable boys were already out doing their other chores, which left no servants to prepare a horse for her. Loki took a horse from its stall and began to prepare it for the ride. You got down from your horse to help him and speed up the process while Adabelle simply watched.  


Finally the three of you were able to start your ride. You and Loki were originally supposed to go to the lake where he had taught you to swim, but if Adabelle was coming along you didn’t want to go anywhere that was special to you. You didn’t want her to ruin something you loved by making a terrible memory out of it. Loki seemed to be thinking the same way, because he led the two of you down a premade path through the forest behind the palace.  


Eventually you reached a clearing. Loki dismounted his horse. As you began to do the same, he appeared by your side to help you down. You both smiled as he took your hand and helped you down. You heard a faint cough, and looked towards Adabelle. She was trying hard to look disinterested, but you could tell she needed the attention. Loki approached the princess and helped her down from her horse. She grinned in a way that should have been sickly sweet but was also gloating.  


You tied the reins of your horses to tree branches and walked together through the clearing. Loki stopped towards the center, sitting down with you. Adabelle sat down on Loki’s other side, careful not to stain the skirt of her dress. “Have you read any good books recently, Rena?” Loki asked.  


“Yes, I have,” you answered.  


You were about to tell him about your newest favorite when Adabelle spoke up, “You enjoy reading, my prince?”  


Loki turned to her for a moment, “Yes, it is one of my favorite pastimes.”  


“Oh, I just finished reading a book which I simply adored!” Adabelle gushed.  


She rambled on, telling the entire story she had read. You couldn’t help but feel a bit smug, considering that you soon recognized the book she had read. You had completed it when you were seven.  


When she had finished talking about the book, Loki tried to bring up a different subject, but no matter what you talked about, Adabelle monopolized the conversation. She let Loki speak quite a bit, but never let you get a word in. Loki soon realized that no matter how hard he tried there was no way she would let him include you in the discussion. Once she finished spouting off a random story Loki stood and announced that the three of you should be heading back to the palace. During the ride back Adabella continued her idle chatter.  


At the palace Loki told you that he was tired from the ride and would retire to his chambers. He said fair well to Adabella and gave you a knowing smile before walking off. Not wanting to be in the presence of the princess any longer than you had to you quickly said goodbye, bowed, and rushed down a different corridor before she could get another word out.  


You tried to walk at a normal speed, but you found yourself walking briskly back to your room. You opened your door and shut it quickly. As you started to head for the secret passage behind your bookcase you felt a pair of hands on your waist. You spun around and came face to face with Loki, who wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close. “I thought I was going to go mad!” he groaned.  


“You and everyone else in earshot,” you laughed and hugged him back.  


Loki loosened his grip and looked down at you, “I’m sorry our ride was ruined.”  


You shook your head, “It’s all right, I don’t even want to think of what would have happened if we refused her.”  


You left out the part about how you thought Frigga and Adabelle had setup the trap. Loki was smart. If he didn’t expect something he would soon, so you thought it was best to leave the subject untouched and enjoy the time you had together.

You spent the rest of the afternoon together, mostly in rooms where you didn’t think you would encounter Adabelle again, like the library and the armory. Eventually the two of you had to part ways. You were having a family dinner that night. The next morning the rest of your family was leaving to live at Lord Erichsen’s manor, and they wanted to spend the night with you before you left. You ate dinner with your family, and spent the evening with them. Your mother even let the children stay up past their bedtime so they could play with you.  


The next morning you waved to your family from the front of the palace as they rode off in their carriages. You watched until they were specks off in the distance, which soon shrank away to nothing. With a sigh, you turned around and walked into the palace alone.


	17. The Huntress at Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has finally come for you to do what you were hired for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? I am on fire! Haha, hope you guys like the updates! Stay tooned!

You walked through the corridors of the palace with Sköll scampering by your side. About a month had passed since you family had left the palace, making Sköll approximately three months old. Despite his age, he was beginning to get larger. You remembered how Loki had told you it was believed his father was a wolf, and you could see why as some of his features began to grow in.  


You had made plans to meet Thor and Loki at the armory that day. You dressed in a black tunic, trousers, and a pair of boots. Your hair was tied up and swung with each step you took. You had the dagger that Thor had given you for your birthday in a sheath strapped to your waist.  


You reached the armory, but when you reached for the door handle you heard a soft moan from the inside, almost like someone was in pain. You jerked the door open and gasped at the sight. Thor and Loki were lying on the floor, covered in blood. A large creature with blue skin and glowing red eyes stood over them. A Jotunn. You had heard of them, but never seen one in real life. Despite the tall ceiling, the giant had to crouch to fit in the room.  


Once he saw you the monster made to quickly stab at Loki with the dagger in his hand. You swiftly grabbed the knife at your hip and threw it. The dagger whizzed through the air, nearly piercing the creature’s chest, but he turned at the last moment, and was hit in the shoulder. The giant hissed at you, tearing the knife out of his shoulder and dropping it to the floor. You grabbed a sword off the rack of weapons and stood ready to fight. Once you were armed the giant turned and jumped through the open window at the other end of the room. Your jaw clenched with anger. You turned for the door and looked out into the corridor. “Someone, help!” you screamed.  


Two servants abandoned their work and rushed towards you. “One of you, get a healer,” you ordered.  


The servants nodded in shock when they saw the bloodied princes behind you. You turned around, grabbing the sheath for the sword you had taken and strapping the weapon to your back. You sprinted passed the princes, picking up your knife as you ran to the window. The glass was shattered, and crunched under your boots. Below you could not see the creature. You scanned the garden, not seeing a sign of the giant until you looked to the very back of the court yard. The giant was scaling the fence surrounding the palace in an attempt to escape into the forest behind it. You looked down. It was a three story jump. You spotted a nearby tree as you stepped onto the window sill. You leaped forward, aiming for one of the taller branches. You reached out and caught the branch before falling to the ground. You were able to scale the tree downwards until you were at a safe height to drop down.  


You raced through the courtyard to the fence, climbing over and running into the forest. You followed the trail of smashed trees, running as fast as your legs would carry you. You slowed to a walk when the destruction began to diminish. You had to search for the slightest clue just to find which direction the creature had gone.  


Finally you came to a clearing. You recognized the pond where Loki and Thor had taught you to swim in the center. There was no sign of the giant anywhere. You rushed to the edge of the pond and knelt down. You thought of the creature and touched your finger to the surface. The image of the giant rippled as it began to appear. You saw the creature from behind. It was in a tree, and before him you could see a smaller figure crouched before a pond. You.  


You stood up immediately, grabbing your knife and throwing it into one of the trees behind you. There was a crash as the creature fell from the trees. You drew your sword as the giant entered the clearing. He drew the knife from where it had hit him in the abdomen. The creature was hurt; both from the two injuries you had inflicted with the knife and from the damage Thor and Loki had been able to do in the attack. However, it was able to ignore the pain better than anything you had ever hunted before.  


You charged forward, swinging your sword. The creature dodged and swung the knife at you. You rolled out of the way and jabbed at him. The two of you danced closer to the pond as you exchanged blows. You struck out at the creature. It dropped the knife and grabbed your arm. You let out a sharp cry of pain. The giant’s touch was so icy it burned. You jabbed with your sword, hitting the creature on the side of his ribs. He screamed and lunged to the side, sending you both into the pond.  


You looked for the creature through the murky water. You spotted the glowing blue skin and swam to the side as the creature darted through the water to grab you. You came up for air quickly before diving back down. You snapped the sword sheath from your back, holding onto the strap that had connected it. You swam towards the creature and kicked it in the head. It locked its fiery red eyes on you and beat its hands against the water. You realized there probably weren’t many ponds on this creature’s frozen planet, so it no doubt wouldn't be a very good swimmer. You swam around it and wrapped the strap around the giant’s neck. It struggled to break free, but was losing its strength the longer it went without air. You swam to the surface, breaking through, but keeping the creature under. It flailed in your grasp, but that was no use.  


When the creature had finally stopped moving so much you dragged it to the edge of the pond and out of the water. The giant took large gasps of air as it lied on the grassy shore. You took the strap off its neck and tied his hands together with it. “Get up,” you ordered and kicked him in the side.  


The creature groaned and slowly got to its feet. You tore some cloth from your shirt and wrapped it around the creature’s forearm, making a safe place for you to hold onto it. “If you try anything,” you growled and pointed the knife you had retrieved at the giant’s neck, “I will not hesitate to kill you.”  


The creature sneered at you but obeyed. You began your trek back to the palace. It was a long walk, but you kept the creature under control and eventually made your way back.  


In the palace servants gasped as you led the giant through the corridors. You passed Thor and Loki, who looked at you with amazement as they were brought to the infermary. You did not make eye contact with them, keeping your face stern. You guided the giant to the throne room. Odin would have been alerted about the attack and his sons’ wellbeing already.  


You opened the doors to the throne room with a bang and dragged the giant towards the dais where Odin sat on his throne. You brought the creature before the king. When you came to a stop, you kicked the giant behind the knee, earning a groan as he fell to a kneeling position. You looked up at Odin. He stood from his throne and stepped down from the dais. He looked over the giant and then you. The king nodded, “Well done.”


	18. No Monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time comes for you to make a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoy the new chapter! Thanks for reading! :)

Guards immediately came forward, binding the giant in chains. They led him out of the throne room, presumably to the dungeon. Odin stepped towards you. “Follow me,” he said firmly.  


You followed the king through the palace until you had reached the infirmary. Odin pushed the door open and allowed you inside. The princes were both sitting on cots with their shirts off as healers cleaned their wounds. Both looked up at you as Odin had you sit on a cot across from them and asked a healer to attend to you. “How did that thing get here?” Loki asked.  


“We aren’t sure,” Odin responded, “but thanks to Rena, that should put an end to that threat.”  


“Rena,” Thor looked at you, “how did you manage to stop it, and why? You could have been killed, and for what? It had already run off.”  


You looked downwards, ashamed to meet the eyes of Thor and Loki. When you had agreed to be their secret guard, you hadn’t planned on anything that had happened. You hadn’t thought you could befriend them, and you would have never dreamed of courting one of them. You felt like you had betrayed them by keeping the secrets about your real task and that they were in danger. What would they say when they found out the truth?  


“My sons,” Odin heaved a sigh, “now that the threat has been eliminated, I can tell you the truth.”  


“What truth?” Loki asked as he and his brother looked curiously at Odin.  


“When I hired Rena, there was a threat against your lives,” the king explained. “Now I’m damn near certain it was that Jotunn. That’s why I recruited Rena. The Royal Huntress image was all an illusion. All this time, she has been guarding you under my orders.”  


“So you thought it would be best to leave us in the dark?” Thor asked, standing up from his cot. “We could have been prepared! Instead we had no idea that we should be watching out for an assassin!”  


“Would that have been any way for you to live your lives for the past year?” Odin barked. “Constantly looking over your shoulders, never sleeping for fear of closing your eyes? Obviously you were safe; your protector just took down a Jotunn by herself!”  


Thor took a step back, and looked towards you. “So you knew about all of this?” he asked.  


“I’m sorry,” you whispered, practically ready to cry.  


“No, don’t be sorry, you did your job,” Odin said before turning back to Thor. “She did not know at first. I told her the truth after she had been brought to the palace, and I forbid her from telling you anything.”  


“So what now?” Loki asked. “She’s done her job, what happens next?”  


You could see Loki tense up, fearing what the answer may be. It hadn’t occurred to you what would happen next. Now that there was no threat, there was no need for you. You cringed at the thought of being sent away. You loved the palace, and not for the materialistic reasons. Years ago you couldn’t have dreamed any of this, but now you couldn’t imagine living any other way. You loved having Thor as a friend, you wanted to have a chance to prove yourself and make amends to Odin and Frigga, you wanted to see Ylva at balls, ride Bandit through the forest, play with Sköll in the courtyard, read books in the library, and train in the armory. But most of all, even though you were afraid of what could happen, though the thought of letting down your barricade made you tremble, you wanted to continue the adventure that was being with Loki.  


You looked to Odin, trying to hide the fear in your face. Odin nodded, “I intend to let happen what I said would happen a year ago. I told Rena she could have a home here, and if she wishes she may stay.”  


You let out a sigh of relief. Odin looked towards you. You nodded, “I would like to stay here, please.”  


Odin nodded, “So be it.”  


He left the room before you could thank him. You looked at the princes as Thor sat back down on the cot. They both seemed equally thankful for the king’s decision. The two looked back at you. “So,” Thor said, “all this time, you were really our royal nanny.”  


“Do not mock me,” you scoffed. “Perhaps next time I’ll let you die.”  


Thor managed a smile but Loki seemed to be preoccupied with something else. “I just can’t believe he didn’t tell us,” Thor continued.  


“When he first told me about the threat,” you stated as a healer wrapped up the burn on your arm, “he said that he knew you wouldn’t be afraid, but he couldn’t bear to put such a burden on you. He was only trying to do what he thought was best for you.”  


Thor nodded, calming down a bit. You looked down at the bandage covering your charred skin. The healer told you that the ointment they put on it would make your arm look and feel normal again soon. You glanced at Thor, who had similar burn marks all over his skin. Loki, on the other hand, had only stab wounds and bruises. He must have noticed you looking because he covered his body as best as he could with his arms without looking awkward. “You really do want to stay?” he asked, distracting you.  


You looked Loki in the eye, “Of course. I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else.”  


Your reassurance made Loki relax a bit, but he still seemed shaken. Not wanting to pry or make him feel any worse, you decided not to talk for the rest of your time in the infirmary.

The three of you were released later that day. You were walking to your room to get a change of clothes and check on Sköll when you saw Odin walking ahead of you in the corridor. You rushed to catch up to him. “Your Majesty,” you called.  


Odin stopped and turned to face you. You approached him, growing more and more nervous. “I wanted to thank you,” you said when you came to a stop. “I didn’t get the chance earlier in the infirmary. I appreciate that you are allowing me to stay in the palace.”  


To your surprise, Odin actually smiled. “It is my pleasure, Rena,” he responded. “Honestly I don’t think life here would be as enjoyable if you left.”  


“Really?” you asked. “I thought that most people weren’t very fond of me recently.”  


Odin sighed, “I can’t say I’m for what is happening between you and Loki, but that’s life. Many things have happened that I was originally against. I will not intervene until I find that it is absolutely necessary. However, no matter what your relations with my son were, are, or will be, I still have full respect for you. After the service you have provided for my family, I am indebted to you.”  


You beamed, “Thank you.”  


“No, thank you.”  


With that Odin continued down the hall and down a flight of stairs. You continued to your room where you found Sköll lying in front of the fire. You patted him on the head and went to your bathroom. You drew a bath and got washed up, careful of the bandage on your arm. In your dressing room you picked out one of your favorite, more casual dresses and changed into it. You brushed through your hair and pulled on a pair of matching slippers.  


Despite your efforts not to get your bandage too wet, it was beginning to unravel. You were about to retie it when you decided it would probably be best to get new bandages and ointment from the healers. It was later in the evening, and you could see the sun setting out your windows. You didn’t want to disturb any servants at this time, so you went to get the supplies yourself.  


You walked through the corridors, feeling satisfied. It had been a very successful day. Your thoughts were interrupted when you heard someone screaming, “No!”  


The word was long and drawn out; full of pain. A set of doors you had never entered before burst open. Loki emerged and stormed angrily down the corridor. He was coming in your direction, though he was so caught up in whatever he was angry about that he didn’t notice you. “Loki?” you said cautiously.  


“Rena!” Loki exclaimed when he looked up to see you.  


He stopped in his tracks, looking horrified. Carefully he maneuvered around you. “I…I just…” he stammered, looking at you as he got further away, “I have to go.”  


With that he quickened his stride and continued down the hallway, disappearing when he turned a corner. You found his behavior odd, and, honestly, were a bit hurt. He hardly came near you, like you posed some kind of threat. He could barely even speak to you. You kept walking in the direction you had been going. You looked into the room Loki had burst out of as you passed the open doors. The room was poorly lit by a few torches, so you couldn’t make out many details. All you saw was Odin, his shoulders heavy, and his eyes covered by one hand. You looked away and hurried to the infirmary.

It was getting to be late by the time you had redressed your wound, but you decided to check on Loki. You wanted to make sure he was all right, and see if there was anything you could do to help. You didn’t take the secret passage up to his room. It felt wrong. Loki was so on edge that you thought it would perhaps be easier for him to let you in if you didn't catch him by surprise.  


You made sure no one was around and knocked on his door. “Loki?” you called.  


No answer. Now you were getting anxious. You hesitantly grabbed the doorknob and twisted. It was painfully slow. You opened the door and peeked inside. There were no candles, and the hearth was unlit. 

The only light came from the moon through the window on the other side of the room and from the corridor as you opened the door slightly. Furniture was overturned, some smashed into pieces. “Loki?” you whispered again as you stepped inside and shut the door.  


“Rena,” you heard his voice.  


You noticed his figure sitting on the ground under the window, his back to the wall. In the darkness you could only see his silhouette. You stepped forward but Loki held out a hand. “Please, Rena,” he said, sounding tired, “go away.”  


You stopped. You felt your lower lip beginning to tremble. Had you done something wrong? Was he mad about you being a secret guard? “I…” you said with a trembling voice, “I’m sorry.”  


“No, Rena,” Loki said apologetically, “it’s not you. I just…I don’t want you to see me like this.”  


“Like what?” you asked.  


You saw Loki move slightly. He lifted his head, and suddenly you were staring into two bright, crimson red eyes. You covered your mouth with your hand. “Please,” Loki said, holding up one hand as he stood, “don’t be afraid.”  


As he stood, the moonlight fell over his blue skin. You noticed markings on his face as well. “You’re…you’re a Jotunn?” you asked quietly.  


Loki hung his head in despair. You tried to step forward again, but Loki held out his hands. “Stay away from me,” he said, “I’m a monster.”  


“Loki,” you said again.  


You stepped over the furniture towards him. Loki sat down on the window seat behind him. His head was in his hands. He looked defeated. You got closer and sat across from him on the bench. He seemed to have torn off his shirt, and was wearing only trousers. You reached out, taking his hands in yours. “Look at me,” you said softly.  


Loki’s face was filled with remorse, but he met your gaze. “You’re not a monster,” you said gently.  


“Rena, look at me,” he said, “how can you say this isn’t a monster?”  


“You’re not a monster,” you repeated, “you’re Loki.”  


“I don’t see much of a difference.”  


“Don’t say that.”  


Loki looked at you, his ruby eyes filled with sorrow and self-loathing. “Parents tell their children about these monsters at night. This,” Loki took your bandaged arm and held it up, “this is what these creatures do! I’m nothing more than an animal; some kind of beast.”  


“You’re not a monster unless you behave like one,” you said soothingly. “Would a monster have saved me from drowning, or rescued me from Ivar?”  


Loki looked downwards, too ashamed to meet your eyes, “you deserve better, Rena.”  


“Loki,” you sighed.  


He didn’t look up at you. You took a deep breath, leaned forward, and pressed your lips to his. It was this first time you had kissed Loki. Every other time it had been the other way around, him pulling you into a kiss. You never wanted to be first, because it felt like another wall you had to tear down. Now the barricade of safety you had built up for all these years was tumbling down.  


Loki seemed to notice what this meant for you. He was in shock at first; completely taken aback. Then he seemed to relax. You felt him wrap his arms around you and you did the same. You looked over Loki when you finally broke the kiss. His blue skin had faded away and his emerald eyes had returned. His lips formed a faint smile, “You don’t mind kissing a Frost Giant?”  


You grinned, “Only if it’s you.”  


Loki pulled you closer, embracing you. “I always knew something was different about me,” he whispered. “To be honest, Rena, I never wanted to tell you this, but before I met you I wasn’t a good man. I was envious, mostly of Thor, seeing as everyone preferred him, and I was hateful. I fear that if you hadn’t come into my life, I would have turned into…a monster.”  


“You’re not a monster,” you whispered, “you’re a good man, who’s had to suffer more than he should have.”  


You sat in each other’s arms in the light of the moon for some time before Loki said you should get to bed. You changed in his dressing room, where he had let you keep a spare nightgown. When you emerged you found that Loki had cleaned up most of the demolished furniture. You walked through the darkness to his bed and crawled in next to him.  


Loki wrapped his arms around you, and you pressed yourself as close to him as possible. You had almost drifted into sleep when you heard his voice. “Rena,” he said softly.  


“Hmm?” you mumbled sleepily.  


Loki hesitated for a moment. You could feel his heart beginning to race. Finally he took a deep breath. “I love you,” he whispered.  


Your heart began to pound at the same speed as his. He had never said that to you before. It was time to choose. Could you let the last of your defenses fall away? Was it truly worth the risk? "Don’t," hissed the little voice in the back of your mind.  


You had heard less and less of the voice as your affection for Loki grew. Now, in its tiny, pathetic voice, it was trying to take one last stand. "No," you silenced the voice, "I make the decisions, now."  


You felt your lips turn up in a smile, “I love you, too, Loki.”


	19. The City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki takes you to the city for a day of relaxing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! Enjoy! >;)

You blinked your eyes open as sunlight streamed through the windows. "Good morning, love," Loki whispered, his breath warm against your skin.  


You were wrapped in his arms, with your hand pressed against his bare chest. You grinned, "Good morning, my handsome prince."  


You heard Loki snicker at your remark. The two of you lied together in an embrace for several minutes longer before deciding to fully wake up. After reluctantly letting you go, Loki sat upwards, yawning. His raven hair was messy and his emerald eyes sparkled as he looked back down at you. You felt your face getting warmer as his eyes roamed over you. "Why are you blushing?" Loki asked with a grin.  


You shrugged, unsure of how to answer, and averted you gaze. Loki leaned on one elbow and planted a kiss on your lips. You sighed, and Loki stood up from the bed. He approached the windows and looked out over the city. You crawled lazily out of the bed and tiptoed towards him, careful to avoid the debris of the broken furniture. You stood behind Loki, rising up onto your toes to wrap your arms around his neck and gently kiss his cheek. Loki turned, putting his hands on your waist and smiling. 

"I'd like to go into town with you today," he said. "If that's all right with you."  


You nodded eagerly. During your time at the palace you had not been able to see the city below it. You had passed through several times with Thor or Loki to guard them, but you'd always been alert and looking for potential dangers rather than enjoying yourself. Besides, you were willing to accompany Loki anywhere he needed to go to get his mind off the news he had recieved last night. He hadn't told you anything other than that he was at least part Frost Giant. Though you knew there had to be more to the story, you wouldn't push him to tell you.  


First you helped Loki put the overturned furniture back where it belonged. Anything that was destroyed you put into a pile, which Loki said he would have taken away and replaced.  


When the room was cleaned you took the secret passage back down to your room. You washed up in the bathroom and then got dressed. You wore a pair of leather boots, black trousers, a white shirt, and a brown, leather courset which laced up in the back over the shirt. Lastly you tied the strings of a cloak around your neck. Loki had explained that he did not want to be recognized in the city, and the two of you decided to wear hooded cloaks. Honestly, you didn't want him to be noticed either. You wanted to have the day just for the two of you.  


When you were dressed you opened the door to you room and found Loki already waiting outside. The two of you slipped through the palace unnoticed by anyone. You snuck into the stables and saddled your horses. The only people who knew the two of you were gone were the guards at the front gate. 

You rode your horses at a trot down the long path leading to the village. You tied your horses to the nearest hitching post and began to explore. You watched artisans crafting goods and rushed from shop to shop, peering in the windows to see what was inside. As you looked into a shop window you saw Loki's reflection behind you. He had one hand in his pocket and under his hood you could see him smiling. You stepped back from the window, putting you hands behind your back and hanging your head. You approached Loki. "Sorry," you said, shrugging and smiling shyly, "this must all be boring to you." 

Loki smiled, "No, I like watching you explore. You get so excited when you discover something new." 

You smiled and looked at the ground. Suddenly Loki grabbed your hand. "Come on," he said, pulling you through the crowd. 

Loki led you to an inn, where the two of you were seated at a table and a servant listed what food they served. After giving her your orders the servant left. Loki looked at you across the table. You were seated in a secluded section, so the two of you were able to take off your hoods. Loki reached across the table, taking your hands. "What do you think of the city?" he asked. 

"It's charming," you responded. "Do you regularly sneak out of the palace to come here?" 

"Only when my family is unbaearable." 

Loki laughed at first, but then his smile faded. You squeezed his hands, "Don't think about it," you said, "we're here to get your mind off things." 

"How can I?" Loki scoffed. "They aren't even my family." 

You stayed silent. When you found out that Loki was a Jotunn you knew that there was more to the story of his parentage. Though you were curious you didn't want him to hurt any more by telling you. Loki looked down at the table. "My real father is that miserable king of the Frost Giants," Loki continued, speaking through clenched teeth. "First he abandoned me, then Odin only took me in so he could use me as a weapon." 

Your hands felt cold. At first it was only mildly uncomfortable, but soon it was beginning to burn. "Loki," you squealed. 

Loki looked down at his hands, which were beginning to turn blue as he clutched yours tightly. 

He let go instantly. "Rena, I'm so sorry," he apologized. "Are you all right? I'm sorry." 

"I'm fine," you said, nodding as you rubbed your hands together, trying to warm them up. 

Loki put his elbows on the table and covered his face with his hands. "And now I'm hurting you," he said miserably as he lifted his head. "You deserve so much better, Rena." 

"No, Loki," you said gently, taking his hands again, "stop torturing yourself." 

"I'm a monster." 

"No, you aren't. And you're not a weapon either." 

Loki heaved a sigh. You bit your lip, "Did your father really say that to you?" 

Loki shook his head, "He said that he thought he could make peace with the Frost Giants through me." 

You were silent for a moment. "You're more than a weapon, or some kind of tool," you said gently. "Besides, you parents do care about you. Why else would they be so cautious about what girl you end up with?" 

You tried to laugh at your remark, but Loki looked seriously at you. "Don't let them bother you," he said softly. "And I would say that's more controlling than caring." 

"Well," you sighed, "even if everything you say about your parents is true, you'll always have me. I know that's not much, especially by comparison, but..." 

"No," Loki finally smiled, "that's everything I'll ever need." 

Your food arrived moments after. The two of you ate your lunch before throwing your hoods back on and wandering back out into the city. Loki had said he wanted to show you something, and you willingly followed him through the crowd. 

Suddenly he stopped. You came to a halt beside him, and looked in the same direction. Your jaw dropped. Through the window of the store in front of you, you could see rows and rows of shelves of books. You stepped forward and peered through the window. The shop was small, but the only larger collection of books you had seen was the library in the palace. You heard the jingle of a bell and looked to see Loki holding the door of the bookshop open for you. You smiled and stepped inside. 

You walked up and down the aisles, picking up books and flipping through, deciding if they were interesting or not. Loki picked out a few books for himself, but not nearly as many as you. He began to read one as you continued your search. Finally you had a stack of books in your arms, and approached the counter. You placed the books in front of the shopkeeper and reached into your pocket. When you felt nothing, you remembered that you had no money. You had had none with you when you came to the palace a year earlier, and you had been paid for you services by being allowed to stay in the palace with your family. You sighed, about to tell the shopkeeper that you must have forgotten your money, when you heard the clatter of coins on the counter. "Add on these ones as well," Loki said, placing his books next to yours. 

You looked up at him, astonished. "You don't have to..." you started to say. 

Loki silenced you by winking at you from under his hood. You smiled gratefully as the shopkeeper took the money and handed you your books. 

You and Loki started to head back to where you had left your horses. It was beginning to get to be late in the afternoon, and you wanted to get back to the palace before anyone came looking for you. You were wondering if there would be room in the saddlebags to hold all your books when you noticed a jewelry store across the street. For the most part you did not wear jewlery, but the necklace in the window was stunning. You looked longingly at it only for a moment and turned your attention back to walking. Loki stopped. "You want that necklace, don't you?" he asked, 

"Hmm? Oh, no," you shook your head, "I was only looking." 

Loki smirked, "Wait here." 

Loki took off across the street, his cloak billowing behind him. "Loki!" you called after him, but he was in the store before you could persuade him. 

You sighed, smiling to yourself and thinking you really were the luckiest girl ever. You stood where Loki had left you, holding your books. Suddenly you felt a cold hand cover your mouth. You made to kick the person behind you when you felt the sharp pain of a knife in your back. Your books fell from your hands, scattering on the ground. Your knees buckled from the pain. You looked down. Whoever the person was, they were wearing a cloak as well, which concealed the dagger they had stuck into your back. You staggered to turn towards the window of the store behind you. In the reflection you saw a grin on the lower half of the attacker's hooded face. The person laughed softly in your ear. "You thought you could beat me that easily?" they whispered. 

The attacker turned their head up, revealing the rest of their face. You gasped. Below the hood you saw Princess Adabelle's face, distorted from her wicked grin. The princess blinked, and her eyes turned piercing red. You felt her pull the knife out of your back, and watched her reflection as she brought the pommel down on the back of your skull.


	20. The Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All this time, there has been an even bigger plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry, this chapter is short, hope you like it anyway.

You slowly opened your eyes. This time, instead of finding yourself curled up next to Loki, you saw the blurry outlines of jagged stalagmites. The wind was a frigid blast again your face, stinging like blades. You tried to get to your feet, but the ground below you was slippery, and froze any exposed skin you had. You blinked a few times, trying to view your surroundings. You were able to make out what looked like steps made of ice before you. You looked up the stairs and gasped when you saw a large Jotunn sitting atop a throne of ice. Standing beside him was Adabelle, the white fur of her cloak blowing in the wind, and an evil grin plastered on her face. You scrambled to a sitting position, your eyes darting from place to place. Everything was coated in snow. The land was lifeless. Jotunheim. You had only ever heard of the place. Only royalty were allowed to use the portal to different worlds. 

You shivered from the cold. Your cloak was gone, and you felt blood crusted on your shirt where Adabelle had stabbed you. The wound still stung. The Frost Giant smiled maliciously. "At last, everything is falling into place," he said with a raspy voice. 

"What's going on?" you demanded, your voice sounder braver than you felt. 

"Our plan is finally being put into motion, that's what's going on," the Jotunn sneered. 

He looked you over, then suddenly as smile appeared on his lips. "We haven't been properly introduced," he cackled, "I am Laufey, King of the Frost Giants." 

Loki's father, you thought. 

"Apparently you are not so willing to honor me with an introduction," Laufey said when you remained silent. "No matter, I know everything about you." 

"Is kidnapping me all part of that plan you were talking about?" you called over the howling wind. 

"Ah, yes, clever girl. I suppose I can tell you, seeing as you won't be alive long enough to stop it." 

Laufey and Adabelle both let out a sharp laugh. Laufey locked his gaze on you and smirked before continuing, "As you may have guessed, dear Princess Adabelle is part Jotunn, just like your beloved Loki. The difference between the two was that she was strong, so we kept her alive. When we heard that cowardly king of yours had taken in Loki, we knew we had been given the perfect opportunity. Simply find a king and queen who could not have a child of their own, and leave little, baby Adabelle on their doorstep. She looked enough like their species, so why should they ever be suspicious? We kept in contact with her, teaching her our ways and making her aware of the plan. Seduce Loki, and become a part of the royal family. Odin would never allow a Frost Giant to rule unless he had no other choice. So, obviously the crown would go to Thor. That meant the next phase would be to kill Thor before he had any offspring to take over for him. This could have easily been done by Adabelle once she was part of the family. The crown would go to Loki, and then we would have two Frost Giants ruling Asgard. From there, the plan all depended on Loki. If he was not foolish, we could keep him alive. If he would not help us, however, he would have to die, too, leaving Adabelle as the queen in charge. With her ruling Asgard, the Frost Giants could easily take over and get our revenge." 

Laufey looked smug as you took in what he had told you. "And that Jotunn who attacked Thor and Loki, was he part of your plan?" you asked. 

Laufey smiled and shook his head. "There was one flaw in the plan that we never could have anticipated," Laufey admitted. "You. You see, the Jotunn who attacked the princes was...very enthusiastic about the plan. A year ago, he decided that it was taking too long, and threatened to kill the princes himself. Apparently, his threat was very serious. When Odin heard of this, he hired you. We thought that this would be a problem. At that point, we had a rouge member of our kind, and the princes had a brand new guard. We figured everything would work itself out. We would allow the Jotunn who made the threat to act upon it, only to be stopped by you, and soon everything would go back to the way we had plannned. However, you just couldn't play by the rules, could you? You had to get Loki wrapped around your little finger. Adabelle told me her attempts were useless as long as you were around, and we knew we had to get rid of you. We simply waited until you had taken care of the threat, then attacked when your guard was down." 

"There's one more problem with your plan," you piped up. "The princes will look for me, or send someone if they don't do it themselves." 

"That's right!" Laufey said, acting like he was in shock. "Unless of course, we make them think you ran away." 

Your heart dropped. Laufey grinned, "You have made our job easier than ever. Imagine how heartbroken Loki will be when he discovers that all this time, you just wanted his status, or money. I'm still trying to decide what your story will be. Perhaps when you found out he was a Frost Giant, you were too disgusted to try to steal from him any longer if it meant you would have to be with a monster like him. The trip to the city was your perfect opportunity to make a run for it. Once he discovers this, he will be in so much despair that when Adabelle goes to him, he will practically throw himself at her." 

You covered you mouth with your hand. Laufey let out another laugh. He turned his cold gaze on you. "Guards," he barked. 

Two Frost Giants seemingly appeared out of nowhere. They approached you. One held you by the hair, holding up your head as the other pressed a knife to your throat. "No!" Laufey commanded. 

You saw a hint of disappointment on Adabelle's face. "We may need her as leverage," Laufey said thoughtfully, "and if not, I could always use a new pet. Patch up that wound and throw her in the dungeon." 

The guards nodded and pulled you to your feet. As they dragged you away, all you could see were the victorious smirks on Laufey and Adabelle's faces. 

The guards dragged you through the snow towards a mountain. As you got closer, you saw the mouth of a cave at its base. You were forced into the cavern, where cells with iron bars lined the cave walls. They tossed you into a cell, causing you to slide along the icy floor and crash into the stone wall. One guard entered the cell, only to crudely mend your wound with a piece of cloth. When he finished he left the cell and the other slammed the door shut. The two exited the cave without a word. 

You crawled to the opening of your cell. You gripped the icy bars tightly and peered out. You were the only resident in the dungeon. A gust of wind blew through the cave, howling against the stone walls. You let go of the bars and lied on the icy ground. You felt a tear roll down your cheek. You curled into a ball, trying to keep warm. You had nothing left to protect you from the cold.


	21. Coming Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there was ever a time for a hero, this is it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are as excited as I am, because that's a lot!

You heard footsteps echoing off the walls of the cave. "Leave us for a moment," a shrill voice said. 

At the speaker's command you heard the guards that had been positioned in the cave walking out. You looked up from where you sat with your back against the stone wall of your cell and your head resting on the bars. Adabelle soon came into view. She held her head high as she removed the hood of her cloak. "Have you come to gloat?" you spat as Adabelle looked down at you.  


"Yes," she said triumphantly.  


Adabelle looked you over. You narrowed your eyes at her as she smirked. "I really will never know what he saw in you," she shook her head. "Some low class farm girl. What could you possibly have to offer him?"  


"What? Are you jealous that he picked the farm girl over you?" you asked, hatred burning in your eyes.  


"Hardly," Adabelle scoffed, "perhaps Loki was blind, but everyone else wasn't. You should have heard what his mother said about you. She was so ashamed that she was willing to do anything in her power to help me steal him away."  


"She might have thought differently if she knew you were planning to kill her sons."  


"Perhaps, but that doesn't change the fact that she couldn't stand the thought of Loki being with a peasant turned servant," Adabelle shook her head. "Imagine that, courting the help." 

You hung your head. You knew you would never be a princess like her, but Loki had always made you feel like that didn't matter. It was all an illusion. You never could have been with him. Not that you would ever get the chance now. "Maybe he'll realize his mistake when he's finally with me," Adabelle said thoughtfully. "I'll show him a real woman, and a real member of royalty." 

You shook your head, "You never really loved him, did you?" 

"Who could?" Adabelle sneered. "He's a misfit and a weakling. I suppose you two really were the perfect match." 

You sighed, looking down at your boots. "But you know what," Adabelle said as she got down on her knees, "I'll let you in a on a little secret." 

She reached through the bars and grabbed you by the collar. Adabelle grinned as she pulled you closer to the cell bars. "I don't care what Laufey says," she whispered in your ear. "Whether Loki decides to help us or not, once he's king, I will kill him." 

Adabelle threw her head back and laughed. Suddenly a strange feeling came over you. Like you were being watched. Adabelle shoved you as hard as she could before standing and turning to walk out of the cave. "I suppose that means you might see him soon enough!" she cackled as she threw up her hood and marched out into the snow. 

You looked around your cell, making sure you weren't just being paranoid. But sure enough, the feeling was there. "Loki," you thought. 

The spell wouldn't allow him to see much outside of your cell. You had to let him know where you were. The guards had returned once Adabelle left, so talking loudly enough for him to heard you wasn't an option. You looked at the wall of stone in your cell. Some of it was jagged and sharp. You silently crawled towards the wall and found a sharp edge. You took a deep breath before slicing your palm on the stone. You winced at the pain but hurried to execute your plan. You used the blood to scrawl on the stone wall. When you were finished you stood back so not to obscure the view. 'Jotunheim' was scribbled on the wall, the blood used to spell it out dripping down the stone. Mere seconds after you had finished the word the feeling vanished. You smeared the blood so the word was no longer legible. 

You stood back from the wall. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. Had you just sealed Loki's fate by telling him where you were? If he came to Jotunheim, it could ruin Laufey's plan. Perhaps he would just kill Loki while he had the chance. You pressed your back against the wall and slid down to the floor, praying you had made the right choice. 

You weren't sure how much time had passed. Perhaps only an hour had gone by when a strange noise attracted your attention. You stood and slowly walked to the front of your cell. You grasped the bars, sending chills down your spine. You looked to see out of the mouth of the cave. A blinding light flashed across the sky, and faded with the sound of an eruption. 

Not long after you heard the explosion you heard someone approach the cave. Laufey stormed through the cavern to your cell. One of the guards opened the door, holding it open for the king. Laufey looked down at you, grinning. "Looks like you might be useful after all," he chuckled. 

Laufey wrapped one hand around your waist and lifted you into the air. You struggled, but it was no use against his iron grip. Laufey carried you out of the cave and towards the light.


	22. Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki has come to your rescue, but now you must make it out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop-whoop! First off, 140 friggin' kudos? You guys rock! Secondly, we're getting close to the end here, so I hope you guys like these last chapters!

Laufey stood in front of his throne, keeping his grip on your waist with Adabelle standing next to him. You watched, horrified as more Frost Giants appeared. Some were stationed on the ground while others stood on top of the rock formations. All of them stared with unwavering gazes at the darkness ahead. A tall figure appeared in the darkness. Laufey tightened his grip on you as the silhouette walked closer. Loki appeared out of the shadows. He was dressed in black, gold, and green armor. Laufey did nothing to hide you, as though he wanted to anger Loki more. You saw Loki's darkened eyes glance in your direction for only a moment. He came to a stop before Laufey's throne. "You've come alone?" Laufey said, sounding amused. 

"I won't be needing anyone else," Loki said calmly. 

"Oh?" said Laufey. "Why is that?" 

"Because if you are smart, you will hand over the girl. Then I will consider leaving without any bloodshed." 

Laufey began to laugh. Several other Frost Giants joined him while others smirked. "And," Laufey toyed, "what if I decide to keep her?" 

Loki's gaze locked with Laufey's. "Then I will have to take her," he said simply. 

Laufey smirked, "You and what army?" 

Loki's brow furrowed. You watched as he flicked his wrist by his side. With flashes of light, an army of multiple duplicates of himself appeared behind him. Laufey's smirk disappeared, and in his surprise his hold on you loosened. "This is my final warning," Loki called over the howling of the wind, "let her go." 

Laufey's lips curled into a snarl. "Attack!" he bellowed. 

The Frost Giants charged at Loki and his army of illusions, firing blasts of ice. You lost sight of the real Loki in the battle. Laufey stood in front of his throne, still holding you as he watched the fighting. While he was distracted you reached for an icicle besides the throne. You snapped the sharpened point off and drove it into Laufey's arm. He howled in pain, dropping you as he reached to remove the icicle. You took off, sprinting down the icy stairs to the battle. 

Out of the corner of your eye you saw a flash of gold. You sidestepped as Adabelle raced towards you. As she slid passed you reached out, grabbing her blonde braid in one hand and her shoulder in the other. Adabelle clawed at you, only managing to grab some of your hair and part of your shirt. "You ruined everything!" she growled between clentched teeth while staring daggers at you. 

"Good!" you screamed. 

You let go of Adabelle's shoulder, curled your fingers into a fist, and punched Adabelle between her eyes. Adabelle let go of you from the shock, touching a finger to the blood that was dripping out of her nose. You gripped Adabelle tighter. "Bitch!" you yelled as you hauled Adabelle off her feet and threw her down the rest of the stairs. 

You dashed down the steps, jumping over Adabelle as she groaned in pain. You sprinted into the middle of the battle. You turned your head, searching the crowd. How were you going to find Loki? You ducked as a Frost Giant struck out at you. You dodged to the side as another shot a blast of ice at you. Your hair blew wildly in the wind as you kept searching. Your mind was spinning and your heart pounded. You had begun to lose hope when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Someone pressed the handel of a knife into your hand. "Run," they whispered in your ear. 

As soon as he had come, he vanished. You didn't dare look behind you for fear of giving away the real Loki. Instead you ran into the middle of the fight, swiping your knife at Frost Giants. You darted through the battle, swiftly dodging attacks and using magic to stun and ward off the Frost Giants. 

Without warning all of Loki's illusions vanished. You turned and gasped at what you saw. Not far from Laufey's throne Loki stood before a Frost Giant. He was clutching a bloody wound near his abdomen. Loki waved his hand as the Frost Giant tried to stab him again and the visions reappeared. Loki disappeared into the crowd again. You started heading in his direction. The two of you couldn't fight the Frost Giants alone, especially if you both were injured. You were beginning to plan how the two of you could slip away from the battle unseen when you saw Laufey standing before his throne. "Stop!" he commanded. 

The Frost Giants stopped fighting, as did Loki's illusions. You saw Laufey grin. "Loki," he called, "my son, you can have the girl if that's what you want." 

The illusions vanished. You saw the real Loki had managed to get halfway up the stairs to Laufey. The Frost Giants he had been fighting stepped back as Loki ascended the steps. Laufey laughed as he approached. "You can have whatever you want," Laufey smirked. "When you join us, we can take Asgard from the inside. We can finally get revenge on the ones who've wronged our kind, and who lied to you for all these years. Join us!" 

Loki approached Laufey. Your stomach did a flip, and you felt your heart sinking. Loki was going to accept his offer. What would you do when Asgard was in ruins? How could you cope when Loki broke your heart by turning into the monster he was so afraid of being? 

Laufey held out his hand, grinning as Loki stepped before him. Loki looked at Laufey's outstretched hand, then into his crimson eyes. Then, with one swift movement, Loki plunged a dagger into Laufey's chest. Laufey's smile faded. He groaned and fell to his knees. Loki's lips formed a snarl. You saw Loki say something to Laufey before he pulled the knife out of his chest with one hand, and pushed him to the ground. The king of the Frost Giants lied dead before his throne. 

Loki surveyed the area. No one dared to move. Loki spotted you and began to descend the stairs. Adabelle looked up at him from where she lied on the icy ground. Loki did not take notice of her as he walked passed. His eyes were locked on you. Loki approached you, taking your hand. "Let's go," he said gently. 

The Frost Giants parted as the two of you walked through the crowd. They looked at both of you in awe and fear. 

Soon the throne and the Frost Giants were out of sight. Loki led you to a strange pattern in the snow. The two of you stood in the center. Loki wrapped an arm around your shoulder just as there was a flash of light. 

You felt a rush of wind, and when you opened your eyes you were in a room that looked like a golden dome. A large man in golden armor stood on a dais in the center of the room. Your eyes widened as you realized he must have been the guard Heimdall. He nodded to you. You and Loki walked side by side onto a bridge that glowed with different colors. Above you the sky was dark and speckled with blazing white stars. You looked down at the transparent bridge. "I'm sorry," you whispered. 

"Sorry for what?" Loki asked. 

"I should have been more careful." 

"You have nothing to apologize for." 

"But you got hurt..." 

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat." 

You let out a sigh, "For a moment, I thought you were going to...take Laufey's offer." 

Loki stopped in his tracks and grabbed you by the shoulders, turning you to face him. "Rena," he said, "please don't ever say that; as though it was possible that the thought of joining the one who did this to you would ever cross my mind." 

His eyes were filled with relief that you had gotten back to him safely, and regret that you had been taken in the first place. You rested your hand against his face and placed the other on his shoulder. You stood on your toes to reach upwards and pressed your lips to his. Loki kissed you back, hugging you closer to him. "Ahem," you heard a gruff voice. 

You tore yourself away from Loki and looked ahead of you. Thor was sitting atop a white horse in front of you, smirking. "And where have you been?" Loki asked, his lips turned up in a smile. 

"Searching for you two," he responded, "but if the two of you need a moment..." 

"Oh, shut up!" you called to him. 

Thor laughed. Loki took your hand and led you to his horse which stood beside Thor's. He pulled himself into the saddle then held out a hand to you. Loki pulled you into the saddle behind him as Thor began to ride away. "Loki," you said as you wrapped your arms around him, "what did you tell Laufey before he died?" 

"I told him that he had ensured his demise the moment he took you," Loki said. 

You hugged him tightly. "My hero," you whispered. 

Loki turned to you and smiled one last time before clicking to his horse. You clung to Loki as the horse galloped forward. The two of you raced Thor back to the palace.


	23. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For once, everything is perfectly falling into place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much happens here, but I hope you like it none the less.

The three of you walked slowly towards the throne room. You bit your lip, trying to figure out how you were going to explain all this to Odin and Frigga. Loki took a hold of your hand, squeezing it reassuringly as Thor pushed open the doors. Frigga paced nervously and Odin was staring out over the city. When Thor and Loki stepped into the room Frigga ran to them and threw her arms around the two. "Where in the heavens have you been..." Frigga's voice trailed off. 

She gasped when she saw Loki's wound. She ran to the doors, calling to a servant, "Send a healer immediately!" 

Loki put his hands on Frigga's shoulders. "I'm all right," he explained, "I was in Jotunheim." 

"Jotunheim?" Odin asked, approaching all of you, "What were you doing there?" 

"I think Rena can best explain what happened." 

Everyone turned to you, eager for an answer. "Well," you said nervously, "when I was in the city, someone stabbed me and knocked me unconscious. It discovered that it was Adabelle." 

Their eyes widened in shock. "Why would she do something like that?" Odin asked. 

"Adabelle has been fooling us all," you said. "She is a Jotunn. She kidnapped me and brought me to Jotunheim. Laufey told me that they had planned for her to marry into the royal family, and then kill Thor and Loki so she could become queen and help them take over." 

Frigga covered her mouth with one hand to hide her shock. "Do Adabelle's parents know about this plan?" Odin asked. 

You shook your head. "Laufey made it sound like they had trained her in secret," you took a breath before continuing. "Loki found out where I was, and came to save me. Now, Laufey is dead." 

Odin nodded thoughtfully, "I will send a messenger to Adabelle's parents to tell them what we've learned. Heimdall shall be notified that if she tries to come back, she must be imprisoned at once." 

The throne room doors opened and the healer entered carrying a small box of medicines. "Who needs my assistance?" she asked. 

"Rena," Loki told her, "she was stabbed earlier." 

"That's already been taken care of," you said to the healer, "Loki's wound is worse." 

Loki was about to object but Odin stepped in. "Loki," he said, "I need to speak to you while she attends to your wound." 

Grudgingly, Loki agreed. Odin turned to you. "Do you need assistance getting to the infirmary?" Odin asked you. 

"No," you said, "I will be all right on my own." 

Odin nodded. You turned and left the room, heading for the infirmary. You hadn't put much distance between you and the throne room when you heard the doors open again. "Rena," someone called out to you. 

You turned to see Frigga rushing towards you. You stopped and waited for her. When Frigga reached you she halted. She looked up at you, her eyes filled with sorrow. "May I walk with you?" she asked. 

"Of course," you said. 

The two of you walked side by side. Frigga was ringing her hands nervously. "Rena," she sighed, "I want to apologize to you." 

You looked at Frigga. She looked tired and distraught. "You're a smart girl, so there's no doubt in my mind that you figured out that I was trying to come between you and Loki," Frigga went on as you remained silent. "I'm sure you know of the rule that says those in the royal family can only marry someone of a certain status. That rule has been in place for as long as anyone can remember. You see, my husband and I were lucky. We were in love, and I came from a family of nobles. I was so caught up in believing that the same thing could happen again, that I didn't realize what I was doing to my sons." 

"You just wanted what was best for your sons," you said, "nobody can blame a mother for doing that." 

"Yes, but I lost sight of what was best for them, and had I succeeded," Frigga choked on her words, "my sons could be dead." 

The two of you were silent. Frigga forced a smile and looked at you. "I should be thanking you also," she said, "for teaching me that not everything is always as right or wrong as it seems." 

You smiled back at Frigga. Her smile widened as a tear began to role down her cheek. "I know now that I can't force something on my sons and expect them to be happy," she said, brushing the tear away, "and that's all I want for them." 

You stopped in front of the infirmary. Frigga grasped your hands. She held onto them firmly and looked you in the eye. "You are a courageous, kind, young woman," Frigga said. " I couldn't have hoped for anyone better for my son, and I would be honored to have you as a part of my family." 

You beamed at Frigga. You were so happy you felt like you were practically glowing. "Thank you," you whispered. 

Suddenly you remembered something that made you begin to lose hope. "But the law..." you said. 

Frigga laughed and smiled, "You have proved your nobility, and I will always consider you as such." 

"Thank you," you breathed. 

"No, Rena," Frigga shook her head, "thank you."


	24. Epilouge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And despite everything, they managed to live happily ever after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this ends our adventure. I hope you all had as much fun reading this as I did writing it. Thanks to all of you who have been here from the beginning, who stayed even when it seemed like I'd dropped off the face of the Earth and didn't post anything for months, and those of you who just bothered to read this at all. Thanks for all your support! Best wishes, stay evil, and, as always, eheheh!

You woke up to warm sunlight streaming across your face. You slowly opened your eyes and sighed contently. You felt an arm wrap around you from behind. "Good morning, darling," a raspy voice whispered in you ear.  


You smiled, taking his hand in yours. "Good morning," you whispered to Loki.  


You rolled over from your side to lie on your back, your swollen stomach making it difficult to move. "How is the little one?" Loki asked.  


"Up already," you answered, "she's kicking an awful lot."  


"She?"  


"I think it's a she."  


"Then we must start thinking of names for a girl."  


Loki sat up, sliding down the bed. He stopped midway, leaned over and pressed his ear to your stomach. He closed his eyes and smiled. "She's talking to me," he said.  


"What is she saying?" you asked, laughing.  


"That she can't wait to meet you," Loki said, "and that she knows where she gets her beauty from."  


"Flattery will get you nowhere," you warned.  


Loki shrugged as he crawled next to you. "It was worth a try," he said as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder.  


You looked up at him. The two of you had courted for four years after the incident at Jotunheim. Everyone was overjoyed when Loki proposed to you. Two years after you had been married, you realized that you were pregnant.  


You glanced at your stomach again. It had been five months, but it looked like you were further alone. "I don't think my mother was ever this size at this point when she had any of us," you said. "Even with the twins."  


You looked up at Loki. His smile had vanished and his face had gone pale. This was your first child, and Loki was afraid. It would be part Jotunn, like him, and he was terrified that something awful would happen to you because of that. On several occasions he had woken up from nightmares of you dying. He was deathly afraid that he might lose the both of you. Even the thought of something being wrong or out of the ordinary made him anxious. You rested your hand against his cheek. "Everything will be fine," you said seriously. "Worrying will only make things worse." 

Loki put his hand against yours and closed his eyes. "What would I do without you?" he sighed. 

"You won't have to find out," you reassured him. 

The two of you lied in bed together for several minutes before deciding to fully wake up and get ready. Your family was coming to the palace that day. You had not seen them since before you had written to them to announce that you had a baby on the way. Loki was the first one up. He quickly changed in the dressing room. He emerged when he was dressed, and approached the bed where you were still lying sleepily. Loki leaned over and kissed you, slowly pulling away. "I'll meet you downstairs when you're ready," he said softly. 

Loki kissed your forehead one more time before leaving the room. 

You stayed in bed until you heard the sound of a carriage pulling up to the palace. You slowly swung your legs off the bed and stood up. You walked to the window, looking down below. Your family poured out of the coaches as servants greeted them. You sighed happily, placing a hand over your stomach as you felt a soft kick. You entered the dressing room and changed into a dress and slippers. You brushed your hair and washed up in the bathroom. 

You left the room to find Loki and your family. You were passing the throne room when the doors burst open and someone walked out. You saw a shock of short blond hair, and gasped when you saw the person's face. "Rena," they said, their eyes widening. 

"Ivar," you said, narrowing your eyes at him, "I thought you were no longer allowed on the palace grounds?" 

"That limitation is still in place," Ivar sighed, "but we had to make an exception. There was some rather urgent business and my...sister, is preoccupied." 

You stifled a laugh. Being the oldest, Ivar was meant to be the next ruler in his kingdom. You had heard, however, that it was determined that he was not responsible enough for the crown, and instead one of his sisters became queen. Ivar's face turned red when he saw your amusement. "King Thor, your...brother-in-law, I presume," Ivar said as he glanced at the ring on your finger, "was not very inclined to the idea, but there was no other option. In fact, now that the business is over I must leave the grounds immediately." 

"I see," you responded, "well I won't keep you any longer then." 

You turned and began to walk away from him. "Rena," Ivar said. 

You paused and turned to face him. "You are married to Loki, I presume," he said and gestured to your stomach. 

You nodded, "I am." 

Ivar smirked, "Well, if you ever get tired of him, my offer still stands." 

You stepped closer, smiling back at him. "Oh, Ivar," you said sweetly. 

You raised your hand as though to caress his cheek. At the last moment you drew your hand back, only to land a quick slap across his face. Ivar, shocked, put a hand over the bruise that was beginning to form and gaped at you. "Here's my offer," you growled, "if you do anything to harm my family and me, you will wake up missing some appendages." 

Ivar looked you up and down. He moved his lips as though he was going to say something, then turned and walked quickly in the direction of the palace doors. You couldn't help but smile when Ivar had turned a corner and was out of view. You continued to walk through the palace. As you strode confidently through the corridors, you remembered how Laufey said he planned to make Loki think you wanted to be with him for status or riches. Of course this was never true, but you could not deny that being a part of the royal family, meaning you ranked equal to or above most, had its advantages. 

You opened a door and stepped out onto a balcony that looked over the courtyard. You walked along the balcony, looking over the garden. It was springtime, and the flowers and other plants were in full bloom. In the middle of the garden you spotted Loki. He was giving your family a tour around the palace, showing them what had changed since they had lived there. Across the garden he looked up and noticed you. You saw Loki grin when his gaze rested on you. You returned his smile before returning inside. Loki would know where to find you when the tour was over. 

You curled up on one of the sofas in the library with the book you were reading in your hands. You were nearing the end when you felt a pair of hands on your shoulders. You looked up to see Loki standing over you. "Your family can't wait to see you," he said as he rounded the sofa and knelt before you. 

"I know," you sighed, "I just want to see how this story ends." 

Loki laughed softly as you shut your book, "Is it a good story?" 

"Oh, yes. It makes me want to go on an adventure. Sword fighting, treasure, far away places," you chuckled. "Those all actually sound familiar. Our times together certainly were an adventure." 

"Darling," Loki said, taking your hands in his, "you make life an adventure." 

The End


End file.
